Police cordon off the intersection of Canal Street and Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 1, 2025. At least 10 people were killed and 30 injured Wednesday when a vehicle plowed overnight into a New year’s crowd in the heart of the thriving New Orleans tourist district, authorities in the southern US city said. (Photo by MATTHEW HINTON/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN Staff James Meyers 7:38 AM – Wednesday, January 1, 2025
At least 10 people were killed and dozens were injured early Wednesday morning after a man intentionally drove a truck into massive crowds of people on the famous Bourbon Street in New Orleans, as revelers were celebrating the new year, officials said.
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New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the man drove around barricades and hurtled down Bourbon Street in “very intentional behavior” then jumped out of the vehicle and started exchanging gunfire with police.
“The city of New Orleans was impacted by a terrorist attack,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said of the carnage early Wednesday, as the FBI investigated possibly improvised explosives left at the scene.
NEW ORLEANS NYE TERROR ATTACK:
– Incident is classified as a terror attack – Two officers were shot; their condition is now stable – Investigation is underway – Police are in direct contact with the White House and Louisiana governor pic.twitter.com/6qGynKTAOM
The tragic incident took place at the intersection of Bourbon and Canal Streets in the French Quarter neighborhood at around 3:15 a.m., close to where revelers had gathered to watch the city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, police said.
“This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could,” Kirkpatrick said, adding the driver “was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”
Furthermore, Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said officials were currently examining at least one suspected improvised explosive device uncovered at the scene.
However, it wasn’t immediately confirmed if the device was linked to the driver.
Police have not identified a possible motive behind the attack.
Videos on social media show bloodied bodies in the street as gunshots were going off.
Multiple EMS and coroner vehicles could be seen on the scene in the aftermath.
The wounded were all rushed to five nearby hospitals, including University Medical Center, Touro Hospital and East Jefferson General Hospital, officials said. The status of the injuries of those hospitalized wasn’t immediately known.
“A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning,” Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R-La.) said in a statement.
“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 horrific killings took place toward the end of New Year’s celebrations and just hours before the kickoff of the College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame at the Caesar’s Superdome. The game is expected to attract massive crowds during the week.
Witnesses Jim and Nicole Mowrer, who were in town from Iowa, told CBS News they had earlier watched the city’s fireworks display before they suddenly heard crashing noises and spotted the truck plowing down the street “at a high rate of speed.”
The Mowrers said they tried to help victims but realized that they were already dead.
“We were pretty, pretty close to where it started,” Nicole said.
“Once it was past us, we did hear gunfire, saw police running that direction,” she continued. “Once the gunfire stopped, we stayed in the alcove until the gunfire stopped, came out into the street, and came across a lot of — several people who had been hit, [we] wanted to see what we could do to help.”
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