What happened?
The attack took place in the middle of the night, around 3:15 a.m. local time, in a crowded area where people were celebrating the New Year, between Canal and Bourbon Street, in the historic and festive district, known as the “French Quarter”. (French Quarter). Renowned for its restaurants, bars and jazz clubs, this district is also home to cabarets and places welcoming people from the LGBT community.
A pickup truck drove into the crowd before its driver jumped out and began firing a gun, prompting a response from police, who say the driver sought to run over “as many people” as possible. He “was fiercely determined to cause carnage,” according to police official Anne Kirkpatrick.
“We heard gunshots”
The white truck crossed a barricade “at high speed”, according to witnesses. “Once he passed us, we heard gunshots, we saw the police running in that direction,” Nicole Mowrer told CBS News.
“Once the gunshots stopped, we stayed hidden until the gunshots stopped, we went out into the street and we met a lot of people who had been hit, we wanted to see what we could do to help them.”
That budget?
At least ten people were killed and thirty-five injured, including two police officers, according to the municipal management in charge of emergencies. “The perpetrator shot at our officers from his vehicle. Two of them were hit. Their condition is stable,” said Anne Kirkpatrick.
