A joyful New Year’s Eve party in the center of New Orleans’ French Quarter became a nightmare early Wednesday when a pickup truck drove into a gathering of partygoers on the famous Bourbon Street, leading to at least 10 fatalities and many injuries. The FBI and local police are investigating the incident.
The disaster occurred at approximately 3:15 am, while the city’s renowned street remained lively with New Year’s Eve festivities. As reported by witnesses, a white truck sped past a barricade and collided with a crowd of pedestrians on the sidewalk.
“All I witnessed was a truck crashing into everyone on the left side of the Bourbon sidewalk,” Kevin Garcia, 22, who was present when the truck hit, told CNN. “A body came hurtling towards me,” he recalled, mentioning that he also heard gunfire soon after the collision.
Witnesses confirmed accounts of the driver leaving the vehicle and engaging in a shootout with police. “We heard shots being fired and noticed police rushing that way,” stated Nicole Mowrer, who was with her husband Jim when the truck struck the gathering. They remained in a nearby nook until the gunfire ceased, then stepped out onto the street, where they found several wounded individuals.
As disorder erupted, police swiftly gained control of the vicinity, urging individuals to exit promptly and recommending that they refrain from using their phones. “When they eventually released us from the club, officers directed us on where to go and instructed us to leave the area quickly,” stated Whit Davis, 22, a witness from Shreveport, Louisiana. “I noticed several corpses they were unable to conceal and many individuals getting first aid.”
