At Least 10 Dead, Over 30 Injured in New Orleans After Driver Runs Over Crowd on Bourbon Street
A driver deliberately ran over a crowd of people in New Orleans during New Year’s celebrations early Wednesday, killing at least 10 and injuring over 30 others, authorities said. The suspect also opened fire on two police officers, according to police.
The City of New Orleans confirmed the casualty figures in a statement and said that people were hurt in a “mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street.” The suspect intentionally drove a pickup truck along Bourbon Street, aiming to cause mass casualties, according to the New Orleans Police Department.
The FBI is investigating multiple suspected improvised explosive devices linked to the attack, and officials are urging the public to avoid the area. A federal law enforcement official told NBC News that the suspect is believed to be dead.
President Biden has been briefed on the attack, and the White House issued a statement offering condolences to the victims and their families. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the attack as a “terrorist attack” and said she was in touch with the White House.
The superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, Anne Kirkpatrick, said the suspect was “hellbent on creating carnage” and intentionally drove around barriers to target the crowd. The majority of the victims are believed to be locals, according to preliminary information.
The incident has been widely condemned by local and national leaders, with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry calling it a “horrific act of violence” and praying for the victims. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill also issued a statement, saying she was praying for the victims and their families and would ensure justice for the “appalling act.”
