Princeton football player Martin 'Tiger' Bech among victims of New Orleans Bourbon Street attack

A former NCAA football player was among those killed in a New Orleans mass murder on New Year's Day 2025.

Martin "Tiger" Bech, who played three seasons with Princeton Tigers football from 2016-2018, predominantly as their kick and punt returner, has been reported as killed.

The team marked the passing of Bech on their social media as well as with a press release, showing his lasting impact with the program.

"Princeton Football mourns the loss of Tiger Bech '21," Princeton football wrote on X. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to all of the victims of the Bourbon Street attack."

'... no more appropriate nickname.'

Fans will notice that Bech carried the same nickname as Princeton athletics, which head coach Bob Surace said was rather fitting.

"There was no more appropriate nickname of a Princeton player I coached," Surace remarked, per a Princeton statement. "He was a 'Tiger' in every way — a ferocious competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate and a caring friend. Our last conversation was about how proud I was of the growth he showed during his time at Princeton and the success he was having after graduation. My love goes to the entire Bech family."

Bech was a member of two Ivy League Championship teams with Princeton in 2016 and 2018, while at the same time he earned All-Ivy honors as a kick-return specialist. In 2018, he made the all-division second team during Princeton's first undefeated season since 1964.

Bech had a total of 53 catches for 825 yards and three touchdowns during his college career. In 2017, the wide receiver averaged four catches and nearly 60 yards per game.

Princeton's 'Tiger' Bech (7) is tackled by Pennsylvania's Hunter Hayes (8)Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Blaze News previously reported that the death toll from the attack was 15, according to the New Orleans Coroner's Office.

The now-deceased suspect, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar of Texas, was alleged to have driven a truck packed with explosives into a crowd on famous Bourbon street while flying an ISIS flag.

Jabbar reportedly served in the Army on active duty from 2007 through 2015 before becoming a reserve from 2015 through 2020. He was reportedly a human resources and information technology specialist who deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 through January 2010.

FBI officials confirmed that Jabbar had an ISIS flag on him at the time of the attack, and the killings were being investigated as a terrorist attack.

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