At least 10 people were killed and dozens injured after a driver rammed a truck into crowds on the famed Bourbon Street in New Orleans before jumping out and shooting cops — just hours after the city rang in the New Year, according to officials.
“The city of New Orleans was impacted by a terrorist attack,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said of the carnage early Wednesday — as the FBI investigated possibly improvised explosives left at the scene.
The killer, who police said was “hellbent” on “carnage,” was shot and killed in a gun battle with cops, two of whom were also shot, police sources confirmed.
Photos from the scene showed a crashed white pickup truck — with a black flag attached to the back.
The mass casualty incident unfolded at the intersection of Bourbon and Canal Streets in the French Quarter neighborhood at around 3:15 a.m. – close to where revelers had gathered to watch the city’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, police said.
Ten people were killed and at least 35 others were hospitalized after the male driver intentionally drove through barricades and plowed down the street at a “very fast pace,” according to New Orleans Police chief Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.
“This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could,” Kirkpatrick said, adding the driver “was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”
The suspect then jumped out of the vehicle and immediately started shooting at cops, injuring at least two officers, she added, noting officers returned fire. Explosives were also found at the scene.
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said officials were currently examining at least one suspected improvised explosive device uncovered at the scene.
It wasn’t immediately confirmed if the device was linked to the driver.
Police didn’t provide details on a possible motive behind the attack.
Unverified videos circulating on social media apparently showed scores of bloodied bodies lining the street as gunshots rang out.
Several EMS and coroner vehicles could be seen on the scene in the aftermath.
The injured were all rushed to five nearby hospitals, including University Medical Center, Touro Hospital and East Jefferson General Hospital, officials said. The extent of the injuries of those hospitalized wasn’t immediately known.
“A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning,” Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement.
“Please join Sharon and I in praying for all the victims and first responders on scene. I urge all near the scene to avoid the area.”
The bloodshed unfolded toward the end of New Year’s celebrations and just hours before the kickoff of the College Football Playoff Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame at the Caesar’s Superdome.
Jim and Nicole Mowrer, who were in town from Iowa, told CBS News they had earlier watched the city’s fireworks display before they suddenly heard crashing noises and spotted the truck plowing down the street “at a high rate of speed.”
The couple said they immediately tried to help several victims but realized they were already dead.
“We were pretty, pretty close to where it started,” Nicole said.
“Once it was past us, we did hear gunfire, saw police running that direction,” she continued. “Once the gunfire stopped, we stayed in the alcove until the gunfire stopped, came out into the street, and came across a lot of — several people who had been hit, [we] wanted to see what we could do to help.”
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