Deadly terrorist attack casts shadow on Sugar Bowl in New Orleans
Updated: 8:47 AM CST Jan 1, 2025
HER REMARKS. THANK YOU. OKAY, JUST GIVE US JUST A LITTLE SPACE, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING. FIRST OF ALL, WE DO KNOW THAT THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS WAS IMPACTED BY A TERRORIST ATTACK. THAT’S ALL. STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. YOU’LL HEAR MORE AFTER ME. HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE WHITE HOUSE, WITH GOVERNOR LANDRY. AND, OF COURSE, A UNIFIED COMMAND WHO IS PRESENT HERE. WHAT I’M ASKING AT THIS TIME ARE PRAYERS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS DUE TO THIS TRAGEDY, IN ADDITION TO THAT, I’M ASKING THE PUBLIC TO STAY CLEAR OF EIGHT BLOCKS AROUND BOURBON STREET. STAY CLEAR FROM BOURBON STREET, EIGHT BLOCKS AROUND VERY ACTIVE, AND AGAIN A UNIFIED COMMAND IS IN PLACE RIGHT NOW. I’M GOING TO ASK CHIEF KIRKPATRICK TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE. YOU’RE THEN GOING TO HEAR FROM OUR AGENT IN CHARGE RELATIVE TO THE FBI. SO AT THIS TIME, CHIEF KIRKPATRICK, THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE. SO I’M GOING TO GIVE YOU AS MUCH OF THE INFORMATION I POSSIBLY CAN. WE ARE GOING TO GIVE YOU AN UPDATE A COUPLE OF TIMES TODAY. SO WE WILL GIVE YOU JUST THE BASICS THIS MORNING. ALL RIGHT. WE HAD THIS EVENT STARTED AT ABOUT 315. IT DID INVOLVE A MAN DRIVING A PICKUP TRUCK DOWN BOURBON STREET AT A VERY FAST PACE. AND IT WAS VERY INTENTIONAL BEHAVIOR. THIS MAN WAS TRYING TO RUN OVER AS MANY PEOPLE AS HE POSSIBLY COULD. IT WAS NOT A DUI SITUATION. THIS IS A MORE COMPLEX AND MORE SERIOUS BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. WITH RESPECT TO NUMBERS, WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. AND AS YOU ALREADY KNOW, THIS COULD CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE DAY. WE DO KNOW THAT THERE ARE 26 INJURED PEOPLE WHO ARE AT UMC HOSPITAL. WE KNOW WE HAVE FOUR. ATURO, FOUR AT OCHSNER BAPTIST, ONE AT TULANE. BUT EVEN AS I WAS WALKING OUT THE DOOR, I BELIEVE I HAVE AN UNCONFIRMED ADDITIONAL PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO OTHER AREA HOSPITALS, POSSIBLY ON THE EAST SIDE. BUT WE WILL GIVE YOU AS MANY CORRECT NUMBERS AS WE CAN AS THE DAY PROGRESSES. IT IS A VERY TRAGIC SITUATION FOR ME TO TELL YOU THAT WE KNOW WE HAVE TEN PEOPLE, THAT THIS MAN KILLED ON BOURBON STREET, THAT IS WHY WE DO NOT WANT ANYONE ON BOURBON STREET TODAY. WHEREVER YOU SEE YELLOW TAPE, PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE THIS TAPE. THIS IS IN ORDER TO PROTECT AND STABILIZE THE SCENE. WE HAVE INFORMATION TO A CERTAIN DEGREE OF THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF THOSE WHO ARE IN THE HOSPITAL RIGHT NOW. WE DO NOT KNOW AT THIS POINT HOW MANY WOULD BE TOURISTS VERSUS LOCALS. BUT FROM THE INFORMATION I HAVE RIGHT NOW, IT SEEMS THE MAJORITY ARE LOCALS VERSUS TOURISTS. WHAT I ALSO CAN TELL YOU IS THAT THIS MAN, THIS PERPETRATOR, HE FIRED ON OUR OFFICERS FROM HIS VEHICLE WHEN HE CRASHED HIS VEHICLE. TWO OF OUR OFFICERS HAVE BEEN SHOT. THEY ARE STABLE AND WE WILL GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THEM. I HAVE YET BEEN ABLE TO GO TO THE HOSPITAL. I WILL BE LEAVING HERE FOR US TO GO VISIT OUR OFFICERS. WE HAVE CALLED IN EVERY OFFICER THAT WE HAVE. WE HAVE SO MUCH APPRECIATED OUR PARTNERSHIPS WHO HAVE ALSO OFFERED US STAFF. LAST NIGHT WE HAD OVER 300 OFFICERS OUT HERE AND BECAUSE OF THE INTENTIONAL MINDSET OF THIS PERPETRATOR WHO WENT AROUND OUR BARRICADES IN ORDER TO CONDUCT THIS, HE WAS HELL BENT ON CREATING THE CARNAGE AND THE DAMAGE THAT HE DID BECAUSE OF THE NATURE AND THE INDICES THAT WE HAVE ON THE SCENE, AND WE HAVE A ENOUGH INFORMATION THAT THE FBI WILL BE TAKING OVER THIS INVESTIGATION. AND WITH THAT, I AM GOING TO BE ASKING, THIS IS THE ASSISTANT AGENT IN CHARGE. THIS IS AGENT DUNCAN, SPECIAL AGENT DUNCAN, AND SHE HAS TAKEN OVER THIS CASE ON BEHALF OF US AND THE FBI. AS ALWAYS, WE WILL BE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL OF OUR PARTNERS. BUT, AGENT DUNCAN, IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A FEW WORDS FOR ME. THANK YOU. MA’AM. GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS ALETHEA DUNCAN. I’M THE ASSISTANT SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE FOR FBI NEW ORLEANS. AS CHIEF KIRKPATRICK SAID, WE’LL BE TAKING OVER THE INVESTIGATIVE LEAD FOR THIS EVENT. THIS IS NOT A TERRORIST EVENT. WHAT IT IS RIGHT NOW, IS THERE IMPROVISED EXPLOSIVE DEVICES THAT WAS FOUND? AND WE ARE WORKING ON CONFIRMING IF THIS IS A VIABLE DEVICE OR NOT. AS CHIEF KIRKPATRICK SAID, WE’RE ASKING EVERYONE TO STAY AWAY FROM BOURBON STREET, SPECIFICALLY FROM CANAL STREET TO SAINT ANNE. THAT IS MY ASK. ONCE AGAIN, STAY AWAY FROM BOURBON STREET. CANAL STREET ALL THE WAY TO SAINT ANNE UNTIL WE CAN FIGURE OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. OUR GOAL IS TO PROVIDE YOU ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AT THE 11:11 A.M. PRESS CONFERENCE. THANK YOU SO MUCH AND WE WILL BE IN TOUCH. YES, I WILL SAY THAT WE WANT OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR VISITORS TO CONTINUE ENJOYING. THERE’S SO MUCH TO ENJOY ABOUT NEW ORLEANS, AND WE ARE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR ROOTS AND THE SUPERDOME ARE SAFE TODAY FOR THE GAME. AND YET WE WE HAD THIS TRAGIC EVENT AND WE’RE SORRY AGAIN, TO EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT WE DO WANT YOU TO GO ABOUT THE DAY, AS WE SAY, JUST STAY AWAY FROM BOURBON, OKAY? LIBRARY ON THE DEVICE. YOU DID SAY SOMETHING ABOUT THE DEVICE. WE ACTUALLY ARE NOT GOING TO BE TAKING QUESTIONS THIS MORNING UNTIL WE HAVE MORE INFORMATION. THAT’S WHY WE WILL GIVE YOU AN 11:00 BRIEFING. SO UNTIL THEN, PLEASE HOLD YOUR QUESTIONS. WE WILL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN. OKAY. SO 11:00 WE WILL SEE YOU AT THE HEADQUARTERS AND WE WILL GO AGAI
Deadly terrorist attack casts shadow on Sugar Bowl in New Orleans
Updated: 8:47 AM CST Jan 1, 2025
As tourists descended on New Orleans to attend the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome New Year’s Day, police swarmed Bourbon Street. At least ten people were killed and 26 injured when a pickup truck “intentionally” plowed into a crowd. The FBI is calling it an act of terrorism. NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said she wanted the community and visitors to “continue enjoying” New Orleans, despite the tragedy.”We are going to make sure our routes and our Superdome are safe today for the game, and yet we had this tragic event and we’re sorry to everyone, but we do want you to go about the day, just stay away from Bourbon Street,” she said. Officials with the Sugar Bowl issued the following statement about the attack: “The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available,” Jeff Hundley, Chief Executive Officer. It is unclear if the game will still be played in light of the events unfolding. Sugar Bowl informationThe 91st Annual Sugar Bowl will be held Wednesday in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome.The two teams competing in the Sugar Bowl are the SEC Champions, the Georgia Bulldogs and the seventh-seeded, Notre Dame. This will be the first year the College Football Playoffs have done the 12-team format.The Sugar Bowl is one of the quarterfinal games that will determine who will go on to the next round and compete in the Playoff semifinals at the Orange Bowl in Miami Lakes, Florida.And with the Sugar Bowl brings in fans from both Georgia and Notre Dame, bringing many visitors to the city.Click here for more Sugar Bowl information. New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans: What we know and don’t knowRelated: Security expert weighs in after car plows into New Orleans crowd
NEW ORLEANS —As tourists descended on New Orleans to attend the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome New Year’s Day, police swarmed Bourbon Street.
At least ten people were killed and 26 injured when a pickup truck “intentionally” plowed into a crowd. The FBI is calling it an act of terrorism.
NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said she wanted the community and visitors to “continue enjoying” New Orleans, despite the tragedy.
“We are going to make sure our routes and our Superdome are safe today for the game, and yet we had this tragic event and we’re sorry to everyone, but we do want you to go about the day, just stay away from Bourbon Street,” she said.
Officials with the Sugar Bowl issued the following statement about the attack:
“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available,” Jeff Hundley, Chief Executive Officer.
It is unclear if the game will still be played in light of the events unfolding.
Sugar Bowl information
The 91st Annual Sugar Bowl will be held Wednesday in New Orleans at the Caesars Superdome.
The two teams competing in the Sugar Bowl are the SEC Champions, the Georgia Bulldogs and the seventh-seeded, Notre Dame.
This will be the first year the College Football Playoffs have done the 12-team format.
The Sugar Bowl is one of the quarterfinal games that will determine who will go on to the next round and compete in the Playoff semifinals at the Orange Bowl in Miami Lakes, Florida.
And with the Sugar Bowl brings in fans from both Georgia and Notre Dame, bringing many visitors to the city.
Click here for more Sugar Bowl information.
New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans: What we know and don’t know
Related: Security expert weighs in after car plows into New Orleans crowd
