Tourist Killed When Central Park Carriage Horse Gets Loose Near Tavern on the Green

An 18-year-old tourist visiting New York City with his family was killed on Wednesday afternoon when a carriage horse named Sampson got loose in Central Park and threw him from the carriage. The incident occurred near Tavern on the Green around 2:45 p.m. The young man was taken to Weill Cornell Medical Center in critical condition but later died from his injuries.

According to witnesses and statements from the Transport Workers Union, the carriage driver was not present in the carriage at the time—he was standing at least arm's length away to photograph passengers. The horse, which had only been in the park for six weeks, suddenly spooked and took off for unknown reasons. The runaway carriage clipped the wheel of another carriage and toppled on its side, with family members including what appeared to be a small child inside. The horse was reportedly unharmed in the incident.

The carriage owner has suspended the driver indefinitely, and the horse will be retired from service. The driver's decision to leave the carriage unattended has drawn criticism from the Transport Workers Union, which stated that drivers are never supposed to leave a carriage to take photographs. The union called for enhanced safety measures including tougher driver training, practical examinations demonstrating proficiency, rules governing the introduction of new horses, and the installation of hitching posts throughout the park.

The tragedy has intensified longstanding debate over horse-drawn carriages in Central Park. The Central Park Conservancy, which has previously called for a complete ban on carriages, released a statement expressing devastation at the death and renewing support for Ryder's Law, which would ban horse carriages from the park while providing job placement services for drivers. The incident comes just over a week after another carriage horse named Deniz died in the park after consuming a toxic plant, further fueling calls to end the practice of operating horse carriages in one of America's most heavily used public spaces.