A tragic event unfolded in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day when a driver deliberately slammed a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 10 people and injuring around 35 others. The FBI confirmed that the driver is dead after a shootout with police, who responded to the scene shortly after the crash.
The incident took place at around 3:15 a.m. on January 1, when the truck sped through the busy French Quarter. Witnesses reported hearing loud noises and seeing the chaos unfold in front of them. Once the truck crashed, the driver engaged in a confrontation with police, resulting in a gunfight that left two officers injured. Thankfully, the officers are in stable condition, but the driver died in the exchange.
The FBI has since stepped in to lead the investigation, with officials confirming that they are looking into the attack as a possible act of terrorism. This is a shift from the initial response, where FBI officials said they didn’t consider it terrorism. At that time, they also mentioned finding some explosive devices at the scene but weren’t sure whether they posed a threat.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick spoke to reporters, saying that this was no accident – the driver’s actions were intentional. “This man was trying to run over as many people as possible,” she explained, adding that it wasn’t a case of drunk driving but a much more serious situation. She pointed out that the driver specifically avoided barricades, making it clear that he had planned the attack.
The police haven’t released the identity of the suspect yet, but they promised more updates in the coming hours. The whole city is still in shock, and many are waiting for answers as the investigation continues.
