The attack, which left at least 15 dead and dozens injured, Wednesday 1is January in New Orleans, Louisiana, “is the deadliest in the United States in more than a year”, underlines The New York Times.
Around 3:15 a.m., a man drove the pickup truck he was driving at high speed into a crowd of New Year's Eve revelers gathered on Bourbon Street in the “Vieux Carré”, the French Quarter, trying to“crush the most people” possible, New Orleans police chief Anne Kirkpatrick announced on Wednesday morning. He then opened fire on police officers, two of whom were injured. “This is not just an act of terrorism, it is absolute evil,” declared this manager.
The suspect, who died in the exchange of fire with police, was identified by the FBI as Shamsud Din Bahar Jabbar. This 42-year-old Texan, an army veteran, may not be the only one responsible for the attack, according to investigators, who are looking into his possible links with the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS). An ISIS flag was in the vehicle, which had been rented, the FBI said in a statement. Authorities also said they were investigating potential bombs found in the French Quarter.
“Inspired by Daesh”
“The epicenter of the party turned into a scene of horror”, deplores The Washington Post, which explains that “few cities [aux États-Unis] celebrate New Year’s Eve as warmly as New Orleans”.
On the night of December 31 to 1is January, “in a city where anything goes, Bourbon Street is at the center of it all”, describes the newspaper. “Street artists are everywhere, playing their jazz, wearing their costumes, the music mixing with that coming from the nearest bar. On the balconies, locals and tourists drink and dance, watching the crowds which never stop arriving, which remain dense, which seem fueled by infinite energy. As if, no matter the time, the fun never stops.” “Until suddenly,” This year, “a tragedy comes to disturb the night”.
The daily notes that the“horror” came less than two weeks after the car-ramming attack on the Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, which left 5 people dead and nearly 200 injured, many of them in critical condition. “Each time, the party turned into chaos, life into death.”
President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump both “condemned violence”, note The Wall Street Journal. Evoking a “despicable attack”, Joe Biden addressed the country early in the evening. He stressed that the suspect, killed by the police, had “published videos on social networks indicating that he was inspired by Daesh” and that he had a “desire to kill”.
“The spirit of our New Orleans will never be defeated,” launched the president, promising that all law enforcement “are working tirelessly to investigate this heinous act”. He also said that the authorities were looking into whether there was “connexion” between the attack in New Orleans and the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck in front of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday, which left one person dead.
Questions regarding the absence of metal barriers
“The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans in its investigation and recovery from this act of absolute evil,” for his part, wrote Donald Trump on Wednesday on his Truth Social network.
The attack, writes New York Times, “raised concerns about security measures taken by the city”. According to New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, steel bollards, or barriers intended to prevent vehicles from entering busy streets, were not in place at the time of the attack. She said the metal barriers were being repaired ahead of the Super Bowl, which the city will host next month. New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said police vehicles and other barriers blocked the streets, but the suspect walked around them and onto the sidewalk.
