Terrorism? Truck drags crowd and causes 10 deaths in New Orleans

Authorities treat the attack in New Orleans as terrorism after a driver plows into a crowd, opens fire and leaves 10 people dead and dozens injured

At least 10 people died and more than 30 were injured in New Orleans in the early hours of Wednesday (1st), after a man rammed his pickup truck into a crowd during New Year’s celebrations and shot at police officers after colliding, according to authorities.

Authorities said the suspect, who is dead, intentionally drove a Ford pickup truck into a large group of people on Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m., in an act that is being investigated by the FBI as terrorism.

The FBI identified the suspect as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas.

According to the FBI, an ISIS flag, weapons and a possible improvised explosive device were found in the vehicle. The truck appears to have been rented, and the agency is investigating the suspect’s possible connections to terrorist organizations.

“This man was trying to run over as many people as possible,” said Anne Kirkpatrick, superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, at a news conference. “He was determined to cause the carnage and damage he did.”

According to Kirkpatrick, the suspect drove around barricades installed to block traffic, demonstrating his “deliberate intent.”

After colliding, the suspect exited the vehicle and shot two officers, who are in stable condition, according to Kirkpatrick and the FBI.

Officers returned fire, and the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the FBI.

Jimmy Cothran, who witnessed the incident from a nightclub balcony, said he saw several people lying in the street within a few seconds, many “horribly disfigured” and one marked by tire tracks.

“It was unbelievable,” he told NBC News. “It felt like it would never end.”

Federal investigators and local law enforcement officials are trying to determine whether the suspect used a long-range rifle and whether he fired into the crowd while running over people, according to three law enforcement officials briefed on the investigation.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell declared that the city was “impacted by a terrorist attack.”

The FBI confirmed that it is treating the case as an act of terrorism. Improvised explosive devices were found, but the agency is still verifying whether they were viable explosives.

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the attack, according to a White House official.

The dozens of injured people are being treated at local hospitals, as are the two injured police officers, Kirkpatrick said.

She also said it was not yet clear how many victims were local, but said preliminary information indicated that “the majority appear to be locals, not tourists.”

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry described the incident as a “horrific act of violence” in a post on X (formerly Twitter) and said he was praying for the victims.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill also spoke out on X: “Many of us woke up today to the devastating news of the brutal and intentional massacre of innocent people celebrating New Year’s in New Orleans. I am praying for the victims and their families and will ensure they get justice for this revolting act.”

Historic Bourbon Street in the French Quarter is a popular tourist area, lined with bars and restaurants, and was expected to be busy on New Year’s Eve.

Videos recorded by witnesses and shared on social media showed a large police presence on Bourbon and Canal streets.

On Tuesday, the New Orleans police had announced that they expected intense movement in the city during the celebrations and that they would be operating at 100% of their capacity, in addition to calling in an additional 300 police officers to reinforce security.

With information from NBC*