A tragic New Year’s Day incident in New Orleans left ten dead and many injured as a man drove into a crowd and opened fire
New Orleans: It was a shocking start to the year. A man drove his pick-up truck into a crowd celebrating New Year’s, killing ten people and injuring at least 35 others. After crashing, he got out and started shooting, hitting several people, including two police officers. The police responded quickly and shot him dead at the scene.
This all went down around 3:15 AM in the French Quarter, right at the busy intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets. Eyewitnesses said the driver swerved around barriers to reach the crowd. It was just hours before the city was set to host the Sugar Bowl, a big college football game.
The FBI is treating this as a potential act of terrorism. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called it a terrorist attack during a press conference. The police chief, Anne Kirkpatrick, confirmed that the driver was intentionally trying to hit as many people as possible.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland expressed his heartbreak for the victims and promised a thorough investigation. The Department of Homeland Security is also involved, working with local and federal law enforcement. President Biden has been briefed on the situation.
As for the suspect, his identity hasn’t been released yet. Reports suggest he lived nearby in the St Roch neighborhood. Following the attack, authorities evacuated a nearby Airbnb that they believe is linked to him.
In addition to the fatalities, at least 35 people were taken to five different hospitals across the city. There’s been no update on their conditions yet, but it’s a tough start to the year for many families.
