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New Orleans mayor calls incident a ‘terrorist attack’
Mayor Cantrell has described today’s mass casualty incident as a ‘terrorist attack’
In addition, it was announced the FBI is now taking over the investigation.
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said officials were investigating the discovery of at least one suspected improvised explosive device at the scene.
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We’ve been hearing from New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell and Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick at a press conference.
We’ll bring you the main lines from both and any further details on the incident as soon as we can.
Louisiana governor condemns 'horrific act of violence'
Jeff Landry, governor of Louisiana, has also posted on X today in the wake of the incident in Bourbon Street.
We’ve been reporting accounts from eyewitnesses who said the area was filled with New Year party revellers.
“A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning,” Governor Landry said.
“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.”
More details of what happened in Bourbon Street are beginning to emerge.
According to reports on the ground from US network CBS, the white truck crashed into the victims at high speed while they were celebrating the New Year.
The driver, according to witnesses who spoke to CBS, then got out and began firing a weapon. Police then returned fire.
More now from Nola, which confirms 30 people have been injured and at least 10 killed
The casualties have been transported to the following hospitals:
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University Medical Center
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Touro Hospital
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East Jefferson General Hospital
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Ochsner Medical Center Jefferson Campus
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Ochsner Baptist Campus
Emergency response team warns people to stay away
Nola Ready, the city’s emergency preparedness team, has described today’s reported crash as a “mass casualty incident”.
Posting on X today, they have warned people to stay away from Canal and Bourbon Street while teams respond on scene.
The nature of injuries and the number of dead are unknown at this time, police have said.
At least 10 reported dead after vehicle driven into crowd
We know that at least 10 people are reported to have been killed after a vehicle drove into a crowd in New Orleans’ French Quarter early on Wednesday.
The incident came toward the end of New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans and hours before the kickoff of the AllState Bowl, a college football quarterfinal held in the city’s Caesars Superdome, with thousands expected to be in attendance.
A further 30 people are said to have been injured in the incident on Bourbon Street.
