Terror, Mass Killings Rocks New Orleans On New Year’s Day – Suspect “Hell Bent” On Carnage
Ten lives were cut short and more than 30 were injured when a pickup truck deliberately plowed into a jubilant New Year’s crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans early Wednesday (January 1), in what authorities are calling an “intentional act” of terror.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the deadly rampage as an attack meant to inflict “carnage and damage.”
The attack began just after 3 a.m., as the French Quarter, still alive with revelers welcoming 2024, turned into a scene of terror.
Witnesses described the vehicle barreling through barricades set up to protect pedestrians. Gunfire erupted soon after, leaving two officers injured before the suspect was fatally shot by law enforcement.
“This man, this perpetrator, he was hellbent on creating the carnage and damage that he did,” Mayor Cantrell said at a press conference. “We apologize to everyone in our community for this tragic event.”
The suspect has not yet been publicly identified.
Though officials initially hesitated to classify the attack as terrorism, the FBI is now leading efforts to determine the suspect’s motives. Improvised explosive devices were reportedly found at the scene.
“We are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism,” read a statement from the FBI.
FBI agents urged residents and visitors to avoid Bourbon Street, specifically from Canal Street to St. Ann. Those on the scene described an exciting evening turned nightmarish in mere seconds.
“All I seen was a truck slamming into everyone on the left side of Bourbon’s sidewalk,” said Kevin Garcia, 22, recounting how “a body came flying” toward him.
The tragedy has reignited concerns over security in New Orleans’ French Quarter, an area widely regarded as a prime destination for visitors year-round.
Earlier renovations included barriers to protect pedestrian thoroughfares from vehicle attacks, but the suspect reportedly evaded them.
Investigators continue combing through multiple scenes, including the suspect’s residence, to uncover more about what led to the deadly act.
Excerpt: A New Year’s celebration in New Orleans transformed into devastation as a vehicle attack on Bourbon Street claimed ten lives and left dozens injured.