People in the United States and Mexico are celebrating Cinco de Mayo today, the holiday celebrating Mexico’s 1862 defeat of France at the Battle of Puebla. Cinco de Mayo is a chance for people to celebrate Mexican culture and heritage, and is celebrated with parades and festivals.

Cinco de Mayo Celebrations

Unfortunately, on Sunday, at the Cinco de Mayo parade in Detroit, a 19-year-old man was shot and killed. The alleged shooter, a 24-year-old, was arrested and the parade was cancelled.

“These types of events are important to maintaining a strong sense of community. It’s disheartening … that it was canceled because of a shooting. This is the first time I can remember in my whole life that violence has happened during the parade. It’s an event so many people look forward to,” said Detroit City Councilwoman and Cinco Parade Grand Marshal Raquel Castaneda-Lopez.

Still, many other Cinco de Mayo celebrations went off without a hitch, and President Obama will be celebrating the holiday at the White House, hosting a Cinco de Mayo reception at the Rose Garden. Many expect he will use this platform to discuss immigration reform.

Celebrities Wish Fans Happy Cinco de Mayo

Not to be left out, thousands are wishing people a Happy Cinco de Mayo on Twitter, including some police departments, who are encouraging those planning on celebrating with tequila to be safe.

Celebrities have also taken to Twitter to express their well wishes on Cinco de Mayo.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.