At least 10 people lost their lives, and 30 more were injured when a vehicle plowed into a crowd in New Orleans’ vibrant tourist district during the early hours of New Year’s Day. Reports suggest that the driver of the vehicle later opened fire.
The New Orleans disaster response team, Nola Ready, described the event as a “mass casualty incident,” occurring at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets, a significant site in the city’s French Quarter famous for its lively nightlife.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell referred to the situation as a “terrorist attack” and confirmed that inquiries are underway. Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick classified the act as “very intentional behavior,” asserting, “This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could. He was determined to cause the havoc and the destruction that he did. ”
Law enforcement officials revealed that the driver, who was operating a pickup truck, was killed during an exchange of gunfire with police. Witness accounts reported by CBS News and CNN indicated that the suspect fired a weapon before police intervened.
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent with the FBI’s New Orleans field office, noted that authorities were looking into a suspected improvised explosive device discovered at the site. The area from Bourbon Street to St. Ann has been cordoned off, with residents instructed to stay away. Kirkpatrick emphasized, “We do not want anyone on Bourbon Street today. ”
The assault led to two police officers being wounded, both of whom are currently in stable condition. It is believed that the majority of those injured are local residents. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry denounced the incident as “a horrific act of violence” and urged people to avoid the area.
In the wake of the assault, law enforcement agencies flooded the French Quarter, closing off parts of Bourbon Street while searching for additional threats. Witnesses described scenes of chaos. Kevin Garcia, a 22-year-old bystander, shared with CNN, “All I saw was a truck crashing into everyone on the left side of Bourbon sidewalk. A body came flying at me. ” He also mentioned hearing gunfire.
Another bystander, Jay McGuffey, visiting from Mississippi, stated, “We were just having fun, celebrating New Year’s, and then they told us to leave because somebody had been shot. Then we heard that a truck had come through here, and 15 people had been shot. ”
As the city prepared for the Sugar Bowl, a prominent college football event, New Orleans law enforcement ensured full staffing for safety. Despite these precautions, the tragedy unfolded, casting a pall over the New Year celebrations.
