Car-Ramming Attack Leaves 12 Dead in New Orleans
Crime scene in New Orleans, U.S., January 1, 2025.
January 1, 2025 Hour: 10:11 am
The attacker exhibited highly intentional behavior and was trying to hit as many people as possible.
In the early hours of Wednesday, a truck plowed into a crowd in the French Quarter of New Orleans, leaving 12 people dead and at least 35 others injured.
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“A horrible act of violence occurred on Bourbon Street this morning. Please join Sharon and me in praying for all the victims and the first responders at the scene. I urge everyone near the area to avoid it,” said Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry.
After running over the crowd gathered on Bourbon Street, the driver exited the vehicle and began firing a weapon, with police returning fire. At least two officers were injured, but their condition is stable.
During a press conference, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell stated that the exact details of the incident were still under investigation and that she was in constant communication with the state governor. She urged the public to avoid approaching buildings on the street where the attack occurred.
Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick reported that the attack happened at 3:15 a.m. local time when a man drove a truck down Bourbon Street at a very high speed. The man exhibited “highly intentional behavior” and was “trying to hit as many people as possible,” she added, noting that the FBI has taken over the investigation.
Special Agent Althea Duncan stated that “this is not a terrorist act” and that “improvised explosive devices” had been found at the scene, though it is under investigation whether they are “viable.”
So far, there is no information on potential perpetrators, though authorities leading the investigation have briefed the White House.
A video circulated online from the popular nightlife area showed police officers gathered in a cordoned-off section of the street. The incident occurred at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets during New Year’s Eve celebrations, which attract large crowds in the city’s French Quarter.
teleSUR/ JF Source: EFE