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An 18-year-old died after falling from a horse-drawn carriage in New York City's Central Park on June 17, police said.The incident was reported at about 2:47 p.m. local time near 71st Street and Center Drive, a New York Police Department spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY. Police said the teenager was critically injured after falling from a horse carriage.He was then transported by emergency medical services to New York-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to police. No other injuries were reported in the incident.Police did not name the victim but the Central Park Conservancy, a nonprofit that operates the park, identified the teen as Romanch Mahajan. The teen was a tourist visiting the park.New York City Council Member Harvey Epstein said he was "horrified by the tragic accident that took place today in Central Park." According to Epstein, the horse was carrying three passengers when it sprinted away, crashed into another horse-drawn carriage and caused both horses to collapse."My heart goes out to the victim's family, the injured, and everyone affected by this devastating event," the council member said in a statement on social media.A video shared on social media showed the horse bolting away from its driver and running through the park, with at least two people appearing to jump or fall from the carriage. Another video showed the carriage flipping over with the remaining passengers inside after its wheels struck another carriage at the park.No arrests have been made in the incident, and the investigation remains ongoing, police said.Driver of horse carriage suspended 'indefinitely,' union's local chapter saysIn a statement to NBC New York, the Transport Workers Union, which represents horse carriage industry employees, said it supported a "full investigation" of the incident. USA TODAY has reached out to the union for comment.The driver appeared to be "at least at arm’s length from his horse to take a photo of his passengers" when the horse "took off for unknown reasons," according to Alexander Kemp, the administrative vice president of the union’s local chapter. The horse had been in the park for only six weeks when the incident occurred.Kemp called the driver's alleged actions "unacceptable," adding that drivers are "not supposed to leave the carriage to take photos – ever."Following the incident, Kemp said the union was told that the carriage owner has suspended the driver "indefinitely" and the horse involved will be taken out of service.“We are devastated that a passenger died after injuries suffered today in the accident in Central Park, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victim’s family," Kemp said in a statement. "Safety in the park has been a growing concern among many, and improvements are needed to be made with respect to all vehicles, including e-bicycles, delivery vehicles, pedicabs, and horse-drawn carriages."Teen's death comes about a week after 16-year-old horse fatally collapsed at Central ParkThe incident comes after a 16-year-old carriage horse named Deniz collapsed and died while pulling two passengers in Central Park on the evening of June 9. At the time, police said the horse suffered a medical episode while pulling the carriage near West Drive and West 72nd Street.TWU Local 100, the Transport Workers Union's local chapter, previously said Deniz had been under Nurettin Kirbiyik — the horse's owner, caretaker and carriage driver — for about a decade and was well-known among tourists for his distinctive brown-and-white coloring.The horse was last examined by the NYPD Mounted Unit's veterinarian in March and was found fit for work, according to the union. Union officials said there were no signs the horse was ill before the June 9 incident.The union reported on June 16 that a necropsy conducted by Cornell University found that the horse had "ingested a toxic yew plant, a species known to be highly poisonous to animals and humans." The union said it is calling for a review of potentially toxic plants in Central Park to "help ensure the safety of animals and the public alike."The Central Park Conservancy called the union's claims "unverified." The organization noted that prior to Deniz's death, there have been seven horse-related incidents in the park over the past 13 months."TWU has now demonstrated how their own negligence has resulted in this unfortunate incident, since NYC Parks rules plainly forbid horses from eating vegetation anywhere across our 843 acres," the organization said in a statement on June 16. "The same rule requires carriage drivers and operators to attend to their horses at all times in order to keep them safe and healthy. Perhaps if they had, Deniz would not have suffered as he did, and died."Incidents at the park have prompted calls to ban horse-drawn carriage ridesIn recent years, Central Park's roughly 150-year-old horse-drawn carriage industry has faced intense backlash from animal rights advocates, local officials and park management over several high-profile incidents involving horses.In August 2025, a horse collapsed and died in Manhattan after suffering an apparent aortic rupture, according to the Animal Welfare Institute, a non-profit organization. That same month, the organization said a runaway horse and carriage in Central Park "sent a crowd of pedestrians scrambling for safety and eventually crashed into a sign."In August 2022, a carriage horse named Ryder collapsed in Manhattan and was later euthanized, the Animal Welfare Institute said. An investigation revealed that the horse was suffering from multiple diseases and was a decade older than his driver had initially reported, according to the organization.Now, the death of Deniz has renewed calls from animal rights advocates and local officials to ban horse-drawn carriage rides at Central Park, USA TODAY reported. The Central Park Conservancy has also shared its support of banning horse-drawn carriages.People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, posted a video of the deceased horse on social media and urged city lawmakers to pass Ryder's Law, a proposed bill named after Ryder that would ban horse-drawn carriage rides.Since the incident, several city officials — including Mayor Zohran Mamdani — have expressed support in removing horse carriages from the park. New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin previously said multiple bills related to carriage horses were expected to move through the legislative process.In response to the deaths of Mahajan and Deniz, Epstein also called for the New York City Council to pass Ryder's Law."Time and again, we are seeing both horses and people suffer the consequences of an industry that poses serious risks to public safety and animal welfare," Epstein said in his statement. "New York City cannot continue to ignore these tragedies. The City Council must pass Ryder's Law and bring an end to horse-drawn carriages once and for all."Contributing: Anthony Thompson, USA TODAY
