At least 10 dead on Bourbon Street after vehicle plows into crowd hours after ringing in New Year

On January 1, 2025By Littum

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Just hours after ringing in the new year, tragedy has struck in the heart of New Orleans’ most prominent tourist center.

Around 3 a.m., the NOPD says a suspect in a pickup truck plowed into a crowd in the area of Bourbon Street and Canal Street before opening fire on police officers.

“This was not a DUI situation,” NOPD Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said. “This was deliberate.”

Kirkpatrick said the man driving the pickup truck was going around the barricades onto Bourbon Street at high speeds, trying to remove as many people in their path as possible. She also said the driver exited the truck and opened fire on NOPD officers, wounding two who are listed in stable condition.

The suspect died after exchanging gunfire with officers.

Police currently confirm at least 10 dead and 30 more injured who have been transported to various hospitals in the city.

A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning.

Please join Sharon and I in praying for all the victims and first responders on the scene.

I encourage anyone nearby to avoid the area.

— Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) 1 January 2025

In a joint news conference with city officials, the FBI announced they are taking over the investigation. Mayor LaToya Cantrell opened the press conference by calling the incident a “terrorist attack,” but representatives from the FBI declined to call it that in the early stages of the investigation.

The FBI says this is not yet a terrorist attack and is still under investigation. The truck driver had explosive charges on him @FOX8NOLA

— Meg Gatto (@MegGattoFOX8) 1 January 2025

#BREAKING
NEW YEAR’S TRAGEDY ON BOURBON ST:

Driver drove into the crowd along the street and gunfire broke out around
10 people are dead, 35 are injured
Two officers were shot
City officials call this a terrorist attack@FOX8NOLA pic.twitter.com/rPxw2QU3Yx

— Andrés Fuentes (@news_fuentes) 1 January 2025

This tragedy comes as thousands visit the city for the Sugar Bowl game between Notre Dame and Georgia. That game is scheduled to start at 7:45 p.m

This is a development story.

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