Live updates: Driver was ‘hellbent’ on ‘creating carnage,’ police say
NBCJan 01
New Orleans: At Least 10 Dead After Truck Rams New Year's Revelers
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Above: Police cordon off the area around the site of the overnight attack in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, on Jan. 1, 2025. Image copyright: MATTHEW HINTON/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Facts
A driver in a pickup truck plowed through crowds in New Orleans at about 3:15 am on New Year's Day, killing at least 10 and injuring over 30. According to the FBI, the suspect "engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased."
The incident occurred at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon streets during early New Year's celebrations, hours before the scheduled Sugar Bowl college football game.
"We do know that the city of New Orleans was impacted by a terrorist attack," New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said, adding the FBI has taken over the investigation. While a local FBI agent initially stated the incident was not an act of terrorism, the agency has since confirmed it is investigating it as such.
The Spin
Narrative A
This horrific act of violence is a terrorist attack, with the perpetrator showing deliberate intent to cause maximum casualties by circumventing security barriers and targeting a popular tourist area expected to be busy on New Year's Eve. The Biden administration fully supports the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this tragic incident.
Narrative B
Contradictory statements and lack of clarity over the incident show that the FBI is already in cover-up mode. This incident could have been avoided if the police hadn't allowed vehicles to access Bourbon Street at night in the first place, or installed anti-vehicle ramming bollards at every intersection. This pure act of evil indicates the US crime rate is at an unprecedented level.
