A terrorist attack on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street during New Year celebrations has left at least 10 people dead and 35 injured.
The suspect, who drove a vehicle into a crowd at high speed before opening fire, was killed in a shootout with police, according to sources.
The incident occurred at around 3:15 a.m. local time on Wednesday at the intersection of Bourbon Street and Canal Street.
Witnesses described the suspect as wearing full body armor and armed with an assault rifle, allegedly aiming to “run over as many people as possible.”
Improvised explosive devices were also found at the crash site but failed to detonate.
During the ensuing gunfire, two police officers were shot and are in stable condition. The suspect’s identity has not yet been released.
Videos on social media captured the chaos, showing panicked crowds fleeing the scene while gunfire echoed in the background. Witnesses recounted harrowing moments, with one describing an SUV “slamming into everyone on the left side of Bourbon sidewalk” and another narrowly escaping harm.
Authorities have declared the event a “mass casualty incident,” with dozens of officers, paramedics, and ambulances responding to the scene. Victims have been transported to five area hospitals for treatment, while the FBI has taken over the investigation.
Surveillance footage showed police, who were already stationed nearby for New Year’s celebrations, quickly rushing to the scene. Witnesses described the attack as a terrifying ordeal, with one person comparing it to “an active shooter drill” as people scrambled to find shelter.
According to one witness, Whit Davis, police held him and a group of partygoers in a bar for safety. When they were finally allowed to leave, they walked past a scene of devastation, with “dead and injured bodies all over the street.”
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell initially labeled the incident a “terrorist attack,” but the FBI later clarified that they were not treating it as such.
Bourbon Street, known for its bars and clubs, has been shut down while investigators process the scene. Authorities are urging the public to avoid the area as the investigation continues.
‘The 8th District is currently working a mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street,’ NOLA Ready, the city’s official disaster preparedness agency, said in a statement.
‘There are 30 injured patients that have been transported by NOEMS (New Orleans Emergency Medical Services) and 10 fatalities. Public safety partners are responding on scene. Updates will follow as they are received.’
The incident came toward the end of New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans and hours before the kickoff of the AllState Bowl, a college football quarterfinal held in the city’s Caesars Superdome, with thousands expected to be in attendance.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has condemned the ‘horrific’ attack and said he is ‘praying for all the victims and first responders on scene’.
‘A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning,’ Landry tweeted. ‘Please join Sharon and I in praying for all the victims and first responders on scene. I urge all near the scene to avoid the area.’
The White House said Wednesday morning that President Biden has been briefed on the attack, and said he ‘has been in touch with New Orleans Mayor Cantrell to offer support.’
‘The FBI is already on the ground supporting local law enforcement in the investigation and the President will continue to be briefed throughout the day,’ the White House said in a statement.