NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Authorities say the driver of a pickup truck sped through a crowd of pedestrians gathered in New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter district early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 30 other revelers. The suspect was killed in a shootout with police.
Wednesday’s attack unfolded on Bourbon Street, known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties, as crowds gathered in the city in anticipation of the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game later Wednesday at the nearby Superdome.
Here’s what we know about the attack:
What happened?
Police said the driver sped through a crowd along Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday as revelers had gathered to celebrate the New Year. Ten people were killed and 33 were injured and taken to five local hospitals. Two police officers wounded in the shootout with the suspect were in stable condition.
Who is the driver and what was his motive?
The FBI said the driver was 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas.
A flag representing the Islamic State group was found in the truck and the FBI is trying to determine if he was associated with any terrorist organizations, the agency said.
The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said during a news conference that the agency does not believe Jabbar acted alone.
Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did” and he tried “to run over as many people as he could.”
What have authorities found in their investigation?
Weapons and a possible explosive device were found in the pickup truck and other possible explosive devices were found elsewhere in the French Quarter, the FBI said.
Who was in the crowd?
Authorities said Bourbon Street was filled with revelers toasting the start of 2025 and attending New Year’s Eve parties when the attack occurred. Crowds in New Orleans have been ballooning in anticipation of Wednesday night’s Sugar Bowl college football playoff game between No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame. Officials said that game would go on as scheduled.
What protections are there for pedestrians on Bourbon Street?
City documents show New Orleans has been in the midst of a major project to remove and replace post-like barriers called bollards designed to prevent vehicle attacks along Bourbon Street. That project began in November and involves replacing old bollards with new removable stainless steel bollards.
Have there been similar deadly attacks involving vehicles?
Wednesday’s attack in New Orleans is the latest example of a vehicle being used as a weapon around the world to carry out mass violence. The trend has alarmed law enforcement officials because such attacks can be difficult to protect against. Last month, a 50-year-old Saudi doctor plowed into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers in the German city of Magdeburg, killing four women and a 9-year-old boy.
