At least 10 people have been killed after a vehicle struck a crowd celebrating the New Year in New Orleans.
At least another 35 people have been injured in the incident, which took place on the corner of the popular Bourbon Street, in the French Quarter of the city on Wednesday morning.
The FBI said it was investigating the attack as an “act of terrorism”.
Anne Kirkpatrick, superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, said the incident started at around 3.15am local time when a man driving a pick-up truck “intentionally” went around barricades and drove down the street at a “very fast pace”.
“He was trying to run over as many people as he could,” she said.
“He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and damage that he did.”
Image: Emergency services at the scene on Bourbon Street. Pic: AP
Image: Pic: AP
Superintendent Kirkpatrick said the perpetrator also open fired at officers after crashing the vehicle. Two officers were shot, but both are currently in a stable condition in hospital.
The attacker was killed by officers at the scene, police said.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the incident as a “terrorist attack” and said she has been in direct contact with the White House.
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Situation in New Orleans ‘very active’
FBI special agent Alethea Duncan added that “improvised explosive devices” were found in the area and checks were being carried out to see if the devices were “viable”.
All three officials warned the public to stay away from the Bourbon Street area.
‘Horrific act of violence’
The city’s emergency preparedness campaign, NOLA, managed by New Orleans Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, said earlier on Wednesday there had been a “mass casualty incident”.
Image: Pic: Reuters/ABC Affiliate WGNO
Image: Pic: AP
“The 8th District is currently working a mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street,” NOLA said.
“Public safety partners are responding on scene.”
They warned people to “get yourself away from the area”.
Louisiana governor Jeff Landry said he was “praying for all the victims and first responders on scene”.
He called the incident a “horrific act of violence”.
Image: The NOLA website warning of a ‘mass casualty event’. Pic: NOLA, city of New Orleans
Police said on Tuesday they expected the city to be busy as locals and visitors rang in the new year.
The city was also hours from the annual Allstate Sugar Bowl college American football game, which was set to attract thousands of people.
Image: Pic: AP
Officials said to help keep the peace, the police department would be staffed at 100% and it would draft in another 300 officers.
Bourbon Street is a popular tourist area in the city, famous for its many bars and clubs.
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