At least 10 people died y 30 were injured after A driver rams his vehicle into a large crowd on the famous Bourbon Street in New OrleansUnited States, hours after the city received the New Year 2025reported AP.
The incident, which left multiple victimsoccurred at the intersection of Bourbon Street and Iberville, in the French Quarter of the city, around 3:15 AM this Wednesday, reported The Washington Post.
After charging into the crowd, The alleged driver jumped out of a truck and began shooting at two officers. According to local media, Police responded to the shooting.
“Last night we had over 300 officers in the area, and yet this individual surrounded our barricades with the intention of causing the damage we saw. “He was determined to cause this tragedy,” said the local police chief.
The suspect of driving a van into the crowd celebrating the New Year in New Orleanshas died, as reported NBC News. The cited sources, who preferred to remain anonymous, indicated that after the exchange of shots with the police, he managed to flee temporarily.
However, the authorities have not yet officially announced the death of the subject, nor his identity.
Witnesses told the reporter CBS News Kati Weis what a van crashed into a crowd in Bourbon Street has high speedand then the driver got out and started firing a gun, and the police returned fire.
A spokesperson for the New Orleans Police Department told CBS News that “initial reports indicate that a car may have hit a group of people. Injuries are unknown, but fatalities have been reported.”
The city of New Orleans said in a statement posted online that 30 people were transported to area hospitals with injuries y the death of 10 people was confirmed.
Weis saw several people on the ground receiving treatment for injuries near the intersection of Bourbon and Canal streets.
Jim and Nicole Mowrer were visiting New Orleans from Iowa and were witnesses to the incident. Nicole said to CBS News who had seen the city’s fireworks show and were enjoying the atmosphere of New Year’s Day in the French Quarter when They heard “crashing noises” that came from the street. They said that later They saw a white van break through a barricadeat high speed”.
The Mowrers said that they heard shots after the loud noises and They went to try to help the people they found injuredbut they realized that the victims they had died.
Bourbon Street is known for its various bars, strip clubs and nightlife.
The governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landryused the platform X to refer to the incident that occurred Wednesday morning in Bourbon Streetcalling it a “horrendous act of violence.”
Landry asked the community to pray for both the victims and the emergency teams who responded to the tragic event.
“We know that the city of new orleans was affected by a terrorist attack“declared the mayor LaToya Cantrell. However, the FBI spokesperson, also present at the press conference, ruled out terrorist activity in this event, although they announced an investigation for “terrorist activity.”
The NOPD assured that the incident that occurred on Wednesday morning in the French Quarter It was not a consequence of a deterioration in the driver’s capacity, ruling out that he was under the influence of alcohol. According to statements of Anne Kirkpatricksuperintendent of the department, the facts indicate that the actions of the driver of the vehicle were deliberate.
Kirkpatrick explained that the man was driving a truck quickly down Bourbon Street, with the obvious intention of causing damage: “This man was trying to run over as many people as possible,” the official said, describing his behavior as “very intentional.”
The investigations, as confirmed by the police, indicate that it was not an accident, but rather a planned act.
The New Year festivities made the city prepare to receive thousands of fans of the college footballfor events related to the Allstate Sugar Bowlscheduled for Wednesday.
Most of the 30 people injured after the attack on the crowd in New Orleans They appear to be locals and not tourists. The police chief Anne Kirkpatrick He told reporters: “We have some demographic information about who is hospitalized at this time.”
“We still don’t know how many could be tourists or locals, but according to the information I have, the majority seem to be residents,” he added.
And robot policial was used to inspect the underside of the pickup truck involved in the deadly incident. While the investigation progresses, federal agents also evaluate the possible presence of explosive devices at the site, according to reports CNN.
He FBIthrough his special assistant in charge, Alethea Duncanstated that “improvised explosive devices were found and we are working to confirm whether they are viable or not.” When asked for more details, Duncan avoided answering about the exact number of artifacts under review.
