Pete Parrous, a 73-year-old male of Greek ethnicity, was tragically killed on August 6, 1993, in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Pete and his wife, Ethel Parrous, were the owners of Luigi's Italian Restaurant on McPherson Church Road. That evening, a gunman named Kenneth Junior French, a 22-year-old soldier stationed at nearby Fort Bragg, entered the restaurant and opened fire. The attack was motivated by French's opposition to President Bill Clinton's policy allowing homosexuals to serve in the military.
The shooting resulted in the deaths of Pete Parrous, his wife Ethel Parrous, Wesley Scot Cover, and James F. Kidd. Several other patrons were injured in the incident. French was armed with two shotguns and a rifle, and he began shooting indiscriminately after making statements about the military policy. The chaos and panic that ensued led to a tragic loss of lives and injuries.
French was eventually apprehended by the police and charged with four counts of capital murder and eight counts of assault. During his trial, it was revealed that French had been drinking heavily and had a history of anger issues. Despite his defense attorney's arguments about his mental state and past trauma, French was convicted of all charges. He received four consecutive life sentences for the murders and an additional 35 years for the assaults.
The Luigi's Restaurant shooting remains a somber reminder of the devastating impact of hate crimes and the importance of addressing underlying issues that lead to such violence. The community of Fayetteville continues to remember the victims and honor their memory.
