The driver of a pickup truck rammed into a crowd of people before getting out and opening fire at police, witnesses have said
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At least ten people have been killed and dozens more injured after an SUV ran into a crowd celebrating New Year in New Orleans, Louisiana, the city authorities have said.
The incident occurred in the city’s French Quarter at around 3:15 am local time, WGNO said on Wednesday. The area, which has numerous bars and restaurants, is popular with tourists.
New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) chief Anne Kirkpatrick told reporters that the attacker drove down Bourbon Street with the “clear intent” of causing “carnage.” Ten people were killed, and 35 injured, she said.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry described what happened as “a horrific act of violence.” He wrote on X that he and his wife were praying for the victims and first responders. He also urged the public to avoid the area where the incident happened.
Dozens of police officers and paramedics have responded to the incident, which reportedly led to Bourbon Street being shut down.
The attack took place as New Orleans is preparing to host the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday night. The iconic college football game, which has been played in the city annually since 1935, gathers thousands of fans from around the US. This year, the University of Georgia and University of Notre Dame will compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
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01 January 2025
21:46 GMT
The FBI and local police have been “conducting law enforcement activity” in the north of Houston, Texas, in connection with the New Orleans attack, the agency has said in a statement. The FBI refused to provide any further information, citing the “ongoing nature of the investigation.”
- 21:18 GMT
More than one person was likely involved in the attack, Louisiana Rep. Troy Carter has said.
“There is an ongoing investigation which limits our ability to talk much more than that, other than to clearly say that this coward did not act alone, and our resources are on the ground turning over every stone. There will not be a rock big enough for them to hide,” Carter told CNN.
- 20:55 GMT
Potential explosive devices have been recovered in the French Quarter, the FBI has said. The suspected explosives were planted by three men and a woman, surveillance footage indicated, AP reported, citing a Louisiana State Police intelligence bulletin it had obtained.
- 20:45 GMT
New Orleans officials have admitted that the mechanical barricades and bollards that were supposed to block car access on Bourbon Street were not functioning at the moment of the attack. Efforts to block the street through other means failed.
“We knew these were malfunctioning. So we did indeed have a plan, but the terrorist defeated it,” Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick has said.
“This particular terrorist drove around onto the sidewalk and got around the hard target. We did have a car there, we had barriers there, we had officers there, and they still got around,” she added.
- 19:40 GMT
The police do not have a final number of deaths in the incident, Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick has said. Ten deaths have been confirmed, and several people were taken to the hospital in critical condition, she added.
- 19:40 GMT
During a press conference at the New Orleans Police Department, an FBI spokesperson has confirmed that the suspect was a US army veteran who had been discharged.
- 19:30 GMT
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has announced mobilization of a military police company to assist the New Orleans Police Department in investigating the incident. It was previously reported that the suspect, who was born in Texas, had served in the US military.
- 19:06 GMT
According to the New York Times, in a 2022 divorce filing, the suspect disclosed earning $120,000 annually while working at consulting firm Deloitte. However, he had also acknowledged financial struggles in an earlier email, citing over $27,000 in overdue mortgage payments with foreclosure looming and $16,000 in credit card debt accumulated due to living expenses and legal fees.
- 18:40 GMT
Law enforcement officials have reportedly identified the suspect in the attack as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, from Texas.
- 18:14 GMT
The suspect in the New Orleans crowd attack was a US citizen, CNN has reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.
Officials have not yet released any additional information on the suspect, who was confirmed dead by the FBI.
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