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Man Who Drove Car Into New Orleans Crowd 'Hell Bent' On 'Carnage': Officials

By / / Sports

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The man who drove a vehicle onto a crowded Bourbon Street fired at police officers after killing 10 and injuring dozens of others, police said Wednesday.

Anne Kirkpatrick, the New Orleans superintendent of police, said the suspect “was hell bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”

Police cordon off the intersection of Canal Street and Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans.Police cordon off the intersection of Canal Street and Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Police cordon off the intersection of Canal Street and Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. Matthew Hinton via Getty Images

The incident happened about 3:15 a.m. CT, as New Year celebrations were winding down and hours before the Sugar Bowl college football game, which tens of thousands are expected to attend at the Superdome. During a news conference Wednesday morning, Kirkpatrick said the suspect drove “at a very fast pace” and fired at law enforcement officials after crashing his vehicle.

“It was very intentional behavior,” Kirkpatrick said, noting it was “not a DUI situation.” She also noted the FBI is taking over the investigation.

A man drove a vehicle into a crowd on New Orleans' Canal and Bourbon streets early Wednesday morning.A man drove a vehicle into a crowd on New Orleans' Canal and Bourbon streets early Wednesday morning.

A man drove a vehicle into a crowd on New Orleans’ Canal and Bourbon streets early Wednesday morning. via Associated Press

Two officers were shot and are in stable condition, Kirkpatrick said. At least 26 people were taken to several hospitals in the area after being injured by the vehicle.

Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said officials were investigating a suspected improvised explosive device that was found to see if it was viable. Duncan confirmed the incident “is not a terrorist event,” despite New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell (D) calling it a “terrorist attack.”

At the news conference, Cantrell confirmed she’d been in contact with the White House and Gov. Jeff Landry (R) about the investigation.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell makes a statement after a man drove a vehicle into a crowd on the city's Canal and Bourbon streets.New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell makes a statement after a man drove a vehicle into a crowd on the city's Canal and Bourbon streets.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell makes a statement after a man drove a vehicle into a crowd on the city’s Canal and Bourbon streets. via Associated Press

President Joe Biden has been briefed on the incident, according to a White House pool report.

Officials, including Landry, encouraged people to avoid the area from Canal Street to St. Ann Street.



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