A vehicle drove into the crowd this Wednesday, January 1 at the New OrleansLouisiana, United States. At least ten people were killed and more than thirty seriously injured. This assessment remains provisional. The alleged perpetrator is deadalso indicated two American television stations, citing police sources.
The attack, described as a terrorist by the city’s mayortook place in the middle of the night, around 3:15 a.m. (9:15 a.m. GMT), in a crowded area where people were celebrating the New Year, between Canal and Bourbon Street, in the historic and festive districtknown as the “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.
CBS News cited witnesses who claim thata vehicle drove into the crowd at “high speed” before its driver jumped out and started firing a gun, prompting a police response. Two police officers were shot and injured during the attackconfirmed the authorities.
Driver ‘determined to cause carnage’
The driver of the pick-up tried to “run over as many people as he could”, a police official in the American city, Anne Kirkpatrick, told the press. “He was fiercely determined to cause carnage.”she insisted.
American investigators found this Wednesday a possible homemade explosive device at the scene of the attackalso informed the federal police FBI. “We are trying to confirm whether or not this is an active, functioning device,” Alethea Duncan of the FBI said at a press briefing.
New Orleans is one of the most visited destinations in the United States and the incident occurred shortly before the city hosted a major American football game, the Sugar Bowl, between the University of Georgia and Notre Dame teams.
According to the municipality, the number of law enforcement officers had been increased during the New Year period, with the authorities preparing for a large crowd in the streets. The city police department had announced staff “in full, helped by 300 additional agents from partner law enforcement agencies”, including on horseback and patrolling in unmarked units.
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