A tragic incident in New Orleans killed as many as 10 people and 30 individuals were injured when a white truck crashed into a crowd near the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets. Reports also suggest that the driver intentionally struck the group before exiting the vehicle and opening fire on the crowd.
The incident in the bustling French Quarter occurred just hours before New Orleans was set to host The Sugar Bowl, an annual college football game that attracts fans nationwide featuring a matchup between the University of Georgia and Notre Dame.
Witnesses recount terrifying scene as vehicle slams into crowd
A tourist from Iowa, Nicole Mowrer shared with CBS News that she and her husband were just a block away when the attack occurred. “We heard crashing noises, then gunfire,” she recalled. While helping the injured, she observed that many victims had fatal injuries from the truck’s impact.
22-year-old Kevin Garcia, recounted the chaos to CNN shortly after the incident, saying, “All I saw was a truck slamming into everyone on the left side of the Bourbon sidewalk. A body came flying at me,” and he also heard gunshots.
Another witness, 22-year-old Whit Davis from Shreveport, Louisiana, was leaving a nightclub on Bourbon Street when the attack occurred. “Everyone started yelling and screaming, running to the back. We went into lockdown for a bit, and then it calmed down, but they wouldn’t let us leave,” Davis said.
“When they finally let us out of the club, police directed us where to go and urged us to leave quickly. I saw several bodies that couldn’t even be covered up, and many people receiving first aid,” he added.
Davis also mentioned that police instructed people to put away their phones and exit the area immediately.
Driver shoots two officers, confirms police chief
A man driving a pickup truck at high speed down killed 10 people and fired at New Orleans police officers injuring two who are now in stable condition, police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick confirmed Wednesday morning, January 1.
“We had over 300 officers on the scene last night, and due to the intentional actions of the perpetrator—who bypassed barricades—he was determined to cause the destruction he did,” Kirkpatrick said.
The FBI will take over the investigation, she added.
New Orleans police and local officials confirmed the attack appeared deliberate. The suspect remains at large, and authorities are continuing to investigate the motive behind the incident.
New Orleans mayor labels incident as ‘terrorist attack’
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has provided initial details about the attack on New Year’s Day that claimed 10 lives. “We know that New Orleans was impacted by a terrorist attack,” Cantrell said, noting that the investigation is ongoing.
Governor Jeff Landry condemned the incident as a “horrific act of violence” and expressed his thoughts and prayers for the victims and first responders.
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