Man drives pickup truck into crowd in New Orleans, killing at least 10 people
Unlock Editorial Digest for Free
FT editor Roula Khalaf chooses her favorite stories in this weekly newsletter.
A man drove a pickup truck into a crowd in downtown New Orleans, killing at least 10 people and injuring 35 others. The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.
The attack occurred early New Year’s Day on Bourbon Street in Louisiana’s largest city, one of the main streets in the historic French Quarter, home to bars, restaurants and music venues that attract domestic and foreign tourists.
New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said that at about 3.15 a.m. local time, a man drove a pickup truck along Bourbon Street at a “very fast speed.”
“This was a very intentional act. This guy was trying to run over as many people as possible,” Kirkpatrick added. “He was hell-bent on causing the carnage and the damage he caused.”
Kirkpatrick said two officers were shot by the driver and were in stable condition. The FBI later issued a statement saying the attacker was dead.
“This morning, a man drove his car into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing multiple people and injuring dozens more. The suspect later interacted with local law enforcement and has since died,” the FBI said. It added: “The FBI is the lead investigative agency and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city had been affected by a “terrorist attack” but gave no further details.
“I want to pray right now for those who lost their lives as a result of this tragedy in the city of New Orleans,” she said.
U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement that “since early this morning, he has been continuously briefed by federal law enforcement leadership and my homeland security team.”
Biden said he has directed officials to “ensure that federal, state and local law enforcement agencies are working diligently to get to the bottom of the incident as quickly as possible, ensure that all resources are available, and that there is no threat of any type.”
In a statement on his “Truth” social media platform, President-elect Donald Trump described the incident as an “act of pure evil” and said his incoming administration would “fully support the City of New Orleans in investigating and Recovering from the attack”.
Alethea Duncan, assistant special agent in charge of the FBI in New Orleans, told reporters that an improvised explosive device was found at the scene of the attack. Duncan said the FBI is working to confirm whether the device is “viable.”
New Orleans is often crowded with visitors during the holidays, but it will be especially crowded on New Year’s Eve this year as the University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame are scheduled to meet in the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday.
Despite the attacks, sporting events are expected to go ahead as scheduled, but local officials are asking people to avoid the area where the events are taking place.
