Driver ‘hell-bent on carnage’ kills ten and injures 30 in New Orleans

A driver in a pick-up truck who officials said was “hell-bent on carnage” sped through a crowd of pedestrians in New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter in the early hours of New Year’s Day, killing 10 people and injuring 30 others.

The attack happened at around 3.15am local time on Wednesday along Bourbon Street, known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties.

Crowds in the city were also ballooning ahead of the Sugar Bowl college football play-off game at the nearby Superdome later in the day.

Later, law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that the suspect had been killed in a firefight with police.

At a news conference, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the incident as a “terrorist attack” and the city’s police chief said the act was clearly intentional.

But an assistant FBI agent in charge declared it was “not a terrorist event”.

The news conference ended before authorities could reconcile the two statements.

Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said officials are investigating the discovery of at least one suspected improvised explosive device at the scene.

Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said of the attacker: “He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.

“It was very intentional behaviour. This man was trying to run over as many people as he could.”

Two police officers who were shot after the driver emerged from the truck are in a stable condition, she added.

She said officers would work to ensure safety at the Sugar Bowl, indicating that the game would go ahead as scheduled.

Officials did not immediately provide an update on the status of the driver, whether there was an ongoing threat to the public, or offer a suspected motive for the incident.

New Orleans’ emergency preparedness department, Nola Ready, said the casualties had been taken to five local hospitals.

The White House said President Joe Biden has been briefed about the incident.

Attorney General Merrick Garland has also been informed, the Justice Department said.