At least 10 people are dead and 35 are injured after a man drove a truck through a Bourbon Street New Year’s crowd early Wednesday.
According to the New Orleans Police Department, the driver exchanged fire with and was later killed on the scene by officers. Explosive devices were found in the truck, but the driver’s identity has not been revealed.
The Police Department said two of its officers were hit and injured in the gunfire exchange. Both were transported via emergency medical services to a local hospital and were last listed in stable condition.
In an initial briefing, the FBI called it an “incident,” but the FBI changed its view later. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called the incident a terrorist attack.
“This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others,” the FBI said in a statement. “The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”
According to Fox News, the truck was spotted crossing the border at Eagle Pass, Texas, on Nov. 16 and had a Texas license plate. Early Wednesday afternoon, law enforcement agencies had not publicly released information connecting the suspect to any activity at the border.
Fox News Digital reported the driver was Shamsud Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Houston resident. The outlet said an ISIS flag was on the truck.
President Joe Biden said he had been continually briefed about the attack.
“I will continue to receive updates throughout the day, and I will have more to say as we have further information to share,” Biden said in the White House statement. “My heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday. There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
President-elect Donald Trump blasted the attack in a statement released on his Truth Social platform.
“When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true,” Trump said. “The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department.
“The Trump administration will fully support the city of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!”
On social media, Republican Attorney General Liz Murrill said, “Many of us woke up this morning to devastating news of the brutal intentional slaughter of innocent people celebrating the New Year in New Orleans. I’m praying for the victims and their families and will ensure they get justice for this appalling act. Please avoid the immediate area at this time and listen to the law enforcement officers who are still on the scene.”
Also on social media, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry said, “This is a fluid situation and we are in coordination with numerous local and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure a complete and thorough investigation to bring those who may have been part of this incident to justice. We recognize that there are tourists around us, and we urge all to avoid the French Quarter as this is an active investigation.
“We understand the concerns of the community and want to reassure everyone that the safety of the French Quarter and the city of New Orleans remains our top priority.”
