Terrorist (?) Car Attack In New Orleans Leaves 10 Dead, Many Injured

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Did a mass murderer kill ten people and injure 35 others in New Orleans as a planned terror attack? Or did he just decide to drive into a crowded Bourbon Street — while armed — out of mental illness?

The so-far-unidentified perp got killed by law enforcement at the scene after firing at them, so for the moment his motives are unknown. What is known is that the FBI seems very confused about what they’re doing there. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell announced that it was a “known” terror attack at a press conference, while the FBI spokesperson declared moments later at the same presser that it wasn’t:

This is unbelievable. The mayor of New Orleans confirmed it was a terrorist attack, and literally minutes later, at the same press conference, an FBI spokesperson stated it was not a terrorist attack. pic.twitter.com/FbTyG3VNXt

— Vince Langman (@LangmanVince) January 1, 2025

What? Not only does this car attack fit a general pattern of terror attacks, there are reports that improvised explosive devices were found — and the man conducted the attack while armed. One might hedge bets on whether this was a terror attack until more evidence emerged, but declaring that it wasn’t a terrorist event in this early stage makes very little sense with the circumstances at hand.

Someone higher up reversed that position shortly afterward:

The FBI said Wednesday morning that it is now investigating the mass-casualty incident on Bourbon Street as a terroristic act. 

A man, who was later shot and killed by police, drove a truck into a crowd of people and opened fire Wednesday morning, killing 10 and injuring at least 35 others.

Oopsie. This is not a good way to build confidence in having the FBI take over the lead position in this investigation.

Given the facts now emerging — albeit through leaks — the mass-murder event clearly was intentional, and its scope points to something other than mental illness. The unnamed perp put a lot of work and planning into his evil acts:

A suspect who was “hellbent” on killing as many people as possible drove a pickup truck around barricades and plowed his vehicle through a crowd of New Year’s revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans at a high rate of speed, leaving at least 10 dead and injuring dozens of others early Wednesday, city and federal officials said.

After mowing down numerous people over a three-block stretch on the famed thoroughfare while firing shots into the crowd, the suspect allegedly got out of the truck wielding an assault rifle and opened fire on police officers, law enforcement officials briefed on the incident told ABC News. Officers returned fire, killing the suspect who was not immediately identified, sources said. At least two police officers were shot and wounded, authorities said.

Explosive devices found in and around the scene on Bourbon Street were apparently found to be viable, multiple law enforcement sources tell ABC News.

In other words, this wasn’t just a momentary murderous impulse, assuming this detail gets confirmed. This perp prepared for mass murder. And this detail seems as though it could become important … maybe:

Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver had attempted to kill as many people as possible. The truck used in the attack appeared to be a F-150 Lightning, an electric vehicle. A black flag appeared to be attached to the vehicle, but its significance was not immediately known.

ISIS uses a black flag. But then again, so do the New Orleans Saints and other sports teams. It may have nothing to do with the murders at all. The choice of vehicle also seems intentional for maximum damage, but at a high rate of speed, pretty much any car will produce mass casualties when driven into a crowd of pedestrians, especially in the popular walking district of Bourbon Street.

About the only conclusion we can safely reach at the moment is that the perp really wanted to kill as many people as he could:

“This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could,” Kirkpatrick said at a news conference early Wednesday. “He was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”

Hellbent is the best word to use in this case, too. We’ll have more on this as developments warrant, but in the meantime, we can join Governor Jeff Landry, his wife Sharon, Mayor Cantrell, and others in praying for the victims of this terror attack, and in praying for all of New Orleans today. 

A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning.

Please join Sharon and I in praying for all the victims and first responders on scene.

I urge all near the scene to avoid the area.

— Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) January 1, 2025