An particular person who drove right into a crowd in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day was killed by regulation enforcement officers, the FBI mentioned on Wednesday, including it was investigating the case as “an act of terrorism.”
A automobile rammed right into a crowd of New Orleans revelers, killing 10 individuals and leaving injured at the very least 30 others, the media stories mentioned.
“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 mentioned in an announcement.
“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.”
After the automobile got here to a cease, the motive force emerged from the truck and open fireplace on responding officers, New Orleans police mentioned.
Officers returned fireplace, hanging and killing the motive force, police mentioned, as per The Associated Press (AP).
Two officers had been shot and are in secure situation, police mentioned.
At a news convention, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the killings as a “terrorist attack” and the town’s police chief mentioned the act was clearly intentional.
Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick mentioned the motive force was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”
“It was very intentional behavior. This man was trying to run over as many people as he could,” Kirkpatrick mentioned.
FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan mentioned officers had been investigating at the very least one suspected improvised explosive gadget on the scene.
The space is named one of many largest New Year’s Eve locations.
Crowds within the metropolis had been ballooning in anticipation of Wednesday night time’s Sugar Bowl faculty soccer playoff recreation on the close by Superdome between Georgia and Notre Dame.
Kirkpatrick mentioned cops would work to make sure security on the Sugar Bowl, indicating that the sport would go on as scheduled.
Kevin Garcia, 22, advised CNN that he noticed a truck slamming into individuals on a sidewalk and heard gunshots.
“A body came flying at me,” he mentioned.
Whit Davis advised the community that he heard individuals yelling and operating to the again as he was leaving a nightclub.
“When they finally let us out of the club, police waved us where to walk and were telling us to get out of the area fast. I saw a few dead bodies they couldn’t even cover up and tons of people receiving first aid,” mentioned Davis, 22.
The injured had been taken to 5 hospitals, the town’s emergency preparedness division mentioned.
The White House mentioned President Joe Biden had been briefed, and the Justice Department mentioned Attorney General Merrick Garland was additionally briefed.
Source: www.dailysabah.com