At least 10 dead after man drives pickup truck into crowd in New Orleans
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At least 10 people were killed and 35 injured after a man drove a pickup truck into a large crowd in the heart of New Orleans in an attack that the FBI is investigating as an “act of terrorism.”
The attack occurred early on New Year’s Day along Bourbon Street in Louisiana’s largest city, one of the main streets in the historic French Quarter that is full of bars, restaurants and music venues and attracts domestic and international visitors.
Anne Kirkpatrick, superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, said that around 3:15 a.m. local time, a man was driving a pickup truck down Bourbon Street at a “very fast pace.”
“It was very deliberate behavior. “This man was trying to run over as many people as he could,” Kirkpatrick added. “He was determined to cause the carnage and the damage that he did.”
Kirkpatrick said two officers were shot by the driver and were in stable condition. The FBI later issued a statement saying the shooter and perpetrator of the attack was dead.
“This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing several people and injuring dozens more. The individual subsequently contacted local law enforcement and has since died,” the FBI said. “The FBI is the lead investigative agency and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism,” it said.
LaToya Cantrell, the mayor of New Orleans, said the city had been hit by a “terrorist attack,” without giving further details.
“What I ask of you now are prayers for those who lost their lives in the city of New Orleans due to this tragedy,” she said.
The White House confirmed that President Joe Biden had been “briefed on the terrible news.” It added: “The FBI is already on scene assisting local law enforcement with the investigation, and the President will continue to be briefed throughout the day.”
President-elect Donald Trump described the incident as “an act of pure evil” in a statement on his social media platform Truth and said his new administration will “lead the city of New Orleans in investigating and recovering” from the attack and fully support”.
Alethea Duncan, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI in New Orleans, told reporters an improvised explosive device was found at the scene. The FBI is working to confirm whether the device is “viable,” Duncan said.
New Orleans is often bustling with visitors during the holidays, but this year the city was particularly crowded on New Year’s Eve as the Sugar Bowl American football game between the University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame is scheduled for Wednesday.
The sporting event was expected to go ahead as planned despite the attack, but local officials urged people to avoid the area where it took place.
