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By Khaleda Rahman and Shane Croucher
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A woman was struck and killed by a truck that was carrying a U.S. Army M1 Abrams tank away that had been used for President Donald Trump's military parade on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., two days previously.
The contract truck driver was part of a convoy that was removing tanks from the area on Monday night when the woman was killed, according to USA Today, which cited an internal Army document it obtained.
Police identified the dead woman as 39-year-old Sierra Nichole Smith, of no fixed address.
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A spokesperson for the Army told Newsweek to direct questions to the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C. A police department spokesperson told Newsweek they could not provide any additional information about the incident.
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The Context
The military parade to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th birthday took place on Saturday and coincided with Trump's 79th birthday.
More than 6,000 soldiers, 84 military vehicles, including 28 M1 Abrams tanks, paraded through the nation's capital, Newsweek previously reported. The parade was held on the same day that "No Kings" rallies took place in hundreds of cities across the country, aimed at decrying Trump's leadership and policies.
Saturday's military parade was the first in Washington since about 8,000 troops marched through the capital in 1991 to mark the victory of an American-led coalition over Saddam Hussein's Iraq in the Gulf War.
What To Know
The accident occurred as the contract truck driver was hauling the tank from the West Potomac Park staging area to a rail yard in Jessup, Maryland, according to USA Today.
Officers with Washington's Metropolitan Police Department found Smith in the city's Northeast area just after 9:30 p.m. local time, according to a news release.
Police said the preliminary investigation indicates the woman ran into the roadway, stumbled and fell in front of the semitrailer truck traveling eastbound in the 1600 block of New York Avenue.
The driver of the truck struck the woman, causing her to be pinned under the vehicle as it continued traveling eastbound into the 2800 block of New York Avenue. She was dislodged and then struck by a silver 2007 Chevrolet Suburban in the 2800 block of New York Avenue that was behind the truck.
The drivers of both vehicles remained at the scene, police said.
D.C. and medical officials also arrived, but the woman was pronounced dead at the scene.
What People Are Saying
A Metropolitan Police Department said: "Officers located an adult female pedestrian, unconscious and not breathing, who was struck by a semi-trailer truck and a Chevrolet Suburban. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and despite all lifesaving measures, the pedestrian was pronounced dead."
What's Next
Following an initial police investigation, the truck driver was cleared of criminal intent or negligence, USA Today reported, citing the aforementioned Army document. No military personnel were involved.
Detectives with MPD's Major Crash Investigations Unit are investigating the incident.
Anyone with information about this incident should call the police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Department's TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.
Update 6/18/25, 6:50 a.m. ET: This article has been updated to add a comment from an Army spokesperson.
Update 6/18/25, 8:50 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with information from the Metropolitan Police Department.
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