America: Truck drives over crowd celebrating New Year, 10 dead; Terrorist attack?
#News Bureau January 1,2025
In the US city of New Orleans, a man drove a truck at high speed into a crowd celebrating New Year. This crushed dozens of people. At least 10 people were killed and 35 were injured. After this, the driver got out of the truck and started firing bullets and he also had an encounter with the police. AP has reported quoting officials that the truck driver has died in the firing. The city mayor has called it a terrorist incident.
In a BBC report, quoting officials of the city of New Orleans, a truck rammed into the crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on Wednesday. This incident happened at around 3.15 am. The intersection of Bourbon Street and Iberville, where this incident happened, is bustling and is known for its nightlife culture.
According to a Reuters report, the truck reportedly rammed into the crowd at a high speed and the driver reportedly got out and started firing a gun.
Videos shared on social media show heavy emergency services at the scene. Video footage and photos show police cars, ambulances and other vehicles parked around the intersection. Several videos are going viral, showing several casualties on the ground.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has described the incident as a terrorist attack. Meanwhile, the FBI, the country’s premier investigating agency, is investigating the incident.
According to the BBC, Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the accused driver of the truck was intent on causing carnage and damage. She said, ‘Despite the presence of more than 300 officers last night, the offender deliberately went around the barricades.’
Police have asked people to avoid travelling in the area for the time being as emergency teams manage the crisis.
Thousands of people were said to have gathered on nearby Bourbon Street to celebrate the New Year. The incident came at the end of the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations and just hours before the kickoff of the Allstate Bowl, a college football quarterfinal held at the city’s Caesars Superdome. Thousands of people are likely to have been present then.
