Death of Central Park horse reignites debate over banning horse carriages in New York City
There are renewed calls to ban horse-drawn carriages in New York City after a 16-year-old was killed when his horse-drawn carriage collapsed in Central Park.
On June 17, police announced that an 18-year-old boy died after falling from a horse-drawn carriage in New York City’s Central Park.
The incident was reported around 2:47 p.m. local time near 71st Street and Center Drive, an NYPD spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY. According to police, the boy fell from the carriage and suffered serious injuries.
The man was then transported by emergency medical services to NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, police said. No other injuries were reported from the incident.
Police did not release the victim’s name, but the Central Park Conservancy, the nonprofit that operates the park, identified the boy as Romansh Mahajan. The teenager was a tourist visiting the park.
New York City Councilman Harvey Epstein said he was “appalled by the tragic accident that occurred in Central Park today.” Epstein said the horse sprinted away with three passengers on board and collided with another carriage, knocking both horses down.
“My heart goes out to the families of the victims, those injured, and everyone affected by this devastating event,” the city councilor said in a statement on social media.
Videos shared on social media showed the horses breaking away from their drivers and running through the park, with at least two people appearing to jump or fall from the carriages. Another video showed a wheel colliding with another vehicle at the park, flipping it over and leaving passengers inside.
Police say no arrests have been made in the case and the investigation is ongoing.
Horse-drawn carriage driver suspended ‘indefinitely’, local branch of labor union announces
The Transportation Workers Union, which represents horse-drawn carriage industry employees, said in a statement to NBC New York that it supports a “thorough investigation” into the incident. USA TODAY has reached out to the union for comment.
Alexander Kemp, executive vice president of the union’s local branch, said the driver appeared to be “at least an arm’s length away from the horse to take photos of the passenger” when the horse “departed for unknown reasons.” The horse had only been at the park for six weeks when the incident occurred.
Mr Kemp said the driver’s alleged actions were “unacceptable”, adding that drivers “should never get out of the vehicle to take pictures”.
Mr Kemp said the union was told after the incident that the carriage owner had suspended the driver “indefinitely” and that the horses involved would be taken out of service.
“I am shocked by the injuries and death of a passenger in today’s crash in Central Park, and my thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims,” Kemp said in a statement. “Safety within the park is a growing concern among many and improvements are needed for all vehicles, including e-bikes, delivery vehicles, pedicabs and horse-drawn carriages.”
The teen’s death comes about a week after a 16-year-old horse collapsed and died in Central Park.
The incident occurred after a 16-year-old horse named Deniz collapsed and died while pulling two passengers in Central Park on the night of June 9. At the time, police said the horse suffered a medical episode while pulling a horse-drawn carriage near West Drive and West 72nd Street.
TWU Local 100, the local branch of the Transport Workers’ Union, previously said Deniz had worked for horse owner, caretaker and carriage driver Nurettin Kirbiik for about 10 years and was well known among tourists for his distinctive brown and white coloring.
The horse was last examined in March by veterinarians from the New York City Police Mounted Unit and was deemed fit for work, the union said. Union officials said the horse had no signs of illness prior to the June 9 incident.
The union reported on June 16 that a necropsy conducted by Cornell University found the horse had “ingested a poisonous yew plant, which is known to be highly toxic to animals and humans.” The union said it was calling for a review of potentially poisonous plants in Central Park to “ensure the safety of animals and the public alike.”
The Central Park Conservancy said the union’s claims were “unverified.” The group said there had been seven horse-related incidents at the park in the past 13 months before Deniz’s death.
“TWU has proven that its own negligence caused this unfortunate incident, as New York City Parks Code expressly prohibits horses from eating plants on the 843-acre property,” the group said in a June 16 statement. The regulations require horse-drawn carriage drivers and drivers to take care of their horses at all times to keep them safe and healthy. Perhaps if they had done so, Deniz would not have suffered and died as he did.”
Incident at park prompts calls to ban horse-drawn carriage rides
Central Park’s nearly 150-year-old horse-drawn carriage industry has faced intense backlash from animal rights activists, local officials and park officials over several high-profile incidents involving horses in recent years.
In August 2025, a horse collapsed and died in Manhattan with what appeared to be a ruptured aorta, according to the nonprofit Animal Welfare Research Institute. That same month, the group announced that an out-of-control horse-drawn carriage in Central Park “led pedestrians to scramble for safety and eventually crashed into a sign.”
In August 2022, a carriage horse named Rider collapsed in Manhattan and was subsequently euthanized, according to the Animal Welfare Institute. The group said an investigation revealed the horse had multiple medical conditions and was more than 10 years older than the driver had originally reported.
Now, Deniz’s death has renewed calls from animal rights activists and local officials to ban carriage rides in Central Park, USA TODAY reports. Central Park conservation groups have also expressed support for banning horse-drawn carriages.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) posted videos of the dead horses on social media and urged city councils to pass the Riders Act, a bill named after riders that would ban horse-drawn carriage rides.
Since the incident, several city officials, including Mayor Zoran Mamdani, have expressed support for removing horse-drawn carriages from the park. New York City Council President Julie Menin previously said several bills related to horse-drawn carriages are expected to move through the legislative process.
Following the deaths of Mr. Mahajan and Mr. Deniz, Mr. Epstein called on the New York City Council to pass the RIDAR Act.
“Time and time again, we see both horses and people suffer at the hands of an industry that poses grave risks to public safety and animal welfare,” Epstein said in a statement. “New York City cannot continue to ignore these tragedies. The City Council must pass the Rider Act and eliminate horse-drawn carriages once and for all.”
Contributor: Anthony Thompson, USA TODAY
