The correct answer should be neither. More than 4,000 Americans perished on Thursday  the deadliest day yet in the nearly year-long pandemic, according to John Hopkins University. A whirlwind, to be sure. But thats an issue for another day. The Ragin Cajuns?
More than 4,001 Americans killed on the day before the holiday.
( z0 kill :ARG1 ( z1 person :quant ( z2 more-than :op 4000 ) :mod ( z3 country :name ( z4 name :op "America" ) ) ) :time ( z5 day :mod ( z6 before :op ( z7 holiday ) ) ) )
(z0 / kill-01
    :ARG1 (z1 / person
              :quant (z2 / more-than
                         :op1 4000)
              :mod (z3 / country
                       :name (z4 / name
                                 :op1 "America")))
    :time (z5 / day
              :mod (z6 / before
                       :op1 (z7 / holiday))))
More than 4,001 Americans killed on the day before the holiday .
z2 :op1 0
z1 :quant z2
z1 :mod z3
z3 :name z4
z4 :op1 1
z0 :ARG1 z1
z0 :time z5
z5 :mod z6
z6 :op1 z7