Investigators discover connection Perpetrators from New Orleans and Las Vegas are said to have known each other
People are celebrating the New Year in New Orleans' popular nightlife district. Suddenly, a vehicle drives into the crowd. There is talk of several deaths.
01.01.2025, 16:00
02.01.2025, 09:43
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- A car has driven into a crowd of people in New Orleans on New Year's Eve.
- Reports speak of at least ten deaths.
- The police themselves have not yet released any official information about the incident.
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9.28 a.m.
Suspects served at the same military base
Investigators are currently looking into possible links between the attack in New Orleans and the explosion of a cybertruck outside a hotel in Las Vegas. Now the authorities have found a first possible link, reports ABC Denver.
According to the report, the suspect in the Tesla explosion and the alleged attacker in New Orleans served at the same military base. This connection is now being investigated more closely, but no further details have been released.
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January 2, 7:22 a.m.
Governor declares a state of emergency
Following the car attack on a crowd in New Orleans, the governor of Louisiana has declared a state of emergency for the city and upcoming major events there. "The state of emergency declaration is vital as it allows us to quickly get additional supplies in place to ensure the safety of the people," wrote Governor Jeff Landry on the news platform X, where he shared the declaration on Wednesday (local time).
According to the statement, the aim is to be able to respond quickly with orders such as evacuations and also request assistance at US federal level in the event of disasters involving loss of life or severe damage. The move comes in light of upcoming events in New Orleans in particular.
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January 1, 4 p.m.
Authorities assume terror
The driver of death in New Orleans, who drove a vehicle into a crowd of people early on New Year's morning, is dead. There was an exchange of gunfire between him and emergency services and the man has since died, according to US media reports citing the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The agency considers the case to be an "act of terrorism".
A car has driven into a crowd of people in the center of the US southern metropolis of New Orleans, killing at least ten people. This was announced by the US city in the state of Louisiana. In addition, 30 people were taken to hospital with injuries. It was an "incident with many victims", the statement continued.
According to the police, the driver drove into the crowd on purpose. "He tried to run over as many people as he could", said New Orleans' police chief Anne Kirkpatrick in a press conference - it was "very intentional behavior".
The incident took place on the corner of the two main streets of the French Quarter - Canal and Bourbon Street - in the early hours of New Year's Day (local time).
The mayor of the city, LaToya Cantrell, spoke of a "terrorist attack" in an initial reaction according to US media. The details and background to the crime were being investigated. She is in contact with the White House and the governor of Louisiana. US President Joe Biden has been informed about the incident and is in contact with local investigators, the White House announced.
The US Federal Police contradicted Cantrell's assessment of the background to the crime. "This is not a terrorist incident," FBI agent Alethea Duncan told the press.
Larger pick-up truck traveling at high speed
The US broadcaster CBS News reported that, according to eyewitnesses, it was a larger truck that drove into the crowd at high speed on Bourbon Street. The driver then allegedly got out and fired a gun, to which the police responded with shots. So far there has been no information on the driver or his whereabouts.
The perpetrator is also said to have shot at two police officers during his journey. Both are in hospital and in "stable condition", said police chief Kirkpatrick. According to the police, the number of injured has now risen to 35, most of whom, according to initial investigations, are people from New Orleans, a few of whom are tourists, Kirkpatrick added.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called what happened at the X news service a "terrible act of violence".
Emergency services were on the scene with a massive contingent. According to a reporter from WWLTV, the police had restaurants and bars on Bourbon Street evacuated and also cordoned off the main street of the neighborhood.