(The Center Square) – In a letter released Friday afternoon, the New Orleans Police Department says there will be increased security presence in concert with other agencies in the French Quarter.
This comes a few days after a deadly terror attack killed 14 people and injured at least 35 on New Year’s Day when a truck was driven into a crowd in the city’s oldest neighborhood. The driver of the truck was also killed in a shootout with lawmen.
The letter by Officer Reese Harper, the department’s director of communications, said Bourbon Street will be closed to vehicles from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. “to ensure the pedestrian mall remains a safe space for everyone.” The city reopened Bourbon Street with heavy security on Thursday in time for the Sugar Bowl, which was delayed a day because of the terror attack.
The department also said additional crowd closures of side streets or major routes will be done as needed, depending on crowd size or special events. The letter also says the department will provide “timely updates” on street closures, traffic and other security measures.
One of those special events is the 59th Super Bowl at Caesar’s Superdome on Feb. 9. It’ll be the eighth time the Superdome has hosted the NFL’s premier showcase.
Shamsud-Dim Jabbar, 42, an American citizen and U.S. Army veteran from Houston, rented the F-150 Lightning truck, the FBI said.
The FBI originally said on Wednesday that the agency thought “he wasn’t acting alone,” but now, officials say Jabbar didn’t have any accomplices.
Jabbar drove into a group of revelers at 3:17 a.m. on New Year’s Day and exited the truck, exchanging gunfire with New Orleans Police Department officers. He injured two of them, before Jabbar succumbed from his wounds, the FBI and local officials said.
The FBI said Jabbar had both a pistol and an AR-style rifle, both of which were listed as stolen. He also had improvised explosive devices, an Islamic State flag hanging from the tailgate and was equipped with body armor.
