A deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans left at least 15 people dead and dozens injured in the early hours of New Year’s Day. The incident occurred on the city’s famous Bourbon Street, where a man drove a truck into a crowd before exiting the vehicle and opening fire on police officers.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell confirmed the incident as a terrorist attack. The FBI also confirmed that it was investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. The driver, whose identity has not been released, was killed in a shootout with police. The FBI is also investigating potential improvised explosives found at the scene. Two officers involved in the shootout were reported to be in stable condition.
Images from the scene showed a white pickup truck with Texas license plates crashed into a crane. A black object was seen attached to a flag pole at the back of the truck. The incident occurred around 3:15 a.m. at the intersection of Bourbon and Canal Streets in the French Quarter, close to where people had gathered to watch the city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks.
According to New Orleans Police Chief Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, the male driver intentionally drove through barricades at a high speed, aiming to hit as many people as possible. After crashing the vehicle, the suspect began shooting at police officers, injuring at least two. Explosives were also discovered at the scene.
The FBI released a statement confirming the incident as an act of terrorism. The statement read, “An individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others. The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, stated that officials were examining at least one suspected improvised explosive device found at the scene. It was not immediately confirmed if the device was linked to the driver.
The injured victims were rushed to five nearby hospitals, including University Medical Center, Touro Hospital, and East Jefferson General Hospital. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry urged residents to avoid the area and pray for the victims and first responders. The White House confirmed that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the incident.
The attack occurred towards the end of New Year’s celebrations and just hours before the College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl. Witnesses described the horrifying scene, recounting the sight of twisted and horribly disfigured bodies in the aftermath of the attack.