At least 10 people have been reportedly killed, while dozens were injured as an SUV plowed into a crowd celebrating New Year on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
The incident happened on Wednesday when a man intentionally drove a pick-up truck into a crowd at French Quarter as revelers were celebrating the new year, officials said.
According to Al Jazeera, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the man drove around barricades and hurtled down Bourbon Street in very intentional behavior before opening fire on officers.
“This man was trying to run over as many people as he could,” said Kirkpatrick, adding that two police officers were hit by gunfire but were in a stable condition.
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Mayor LaToya Cantrell referred to it as a likely terrorist attack, but Alethea Duncan, an FBI agent who spoke along with the other officials Wednesday morning, did not characterize it that way.
The officials did not provide any information about the man who drove the truck, just as his condition and whereabouts were not immediately clear.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called it a horrific act of violence and said he and his wife were praying for all the victims and first responders on scene. He urged people to avoid the area.
The popular tourist district was full of New Year’s Day revelers at the time of the apparent attack.
“He was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” Kirkpatrick said.
