Editor's note: This article has been updated to confirm that the attack was "intentional" and left 30 people injured. It has also been updated to confirm that the suspect is dead.
A mass casualty incident occurred in New Orleans' French Quarter in the early morning hours of New Year's Day, according to several reports, in what was an "intentional" attack, Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said during a Wednesday morning press conference.
NOLA Ready, the city of New Orleans' emergency preparedness agency wrote via X that the incident took place on Canal and Bourbon Street, warning pedestrians to "get away from the area."
According to CNN, the agency — which is a part of New Orleans Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness (NOHSEP) — released a statement, writing: "The 8th District is currently working a mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street. There are 30 injured patients that have been transported by NOEMS (New Orleans Emergency Medical Services) and 10 fatalities. Public safety partners are responding on scene. Updates will follow as they are received."
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The suspect, according to the Associated Press, died "after a firefight with police."
During the press conference, Kirkpatrick noted that a man in a pick up truck "intentionally" plowed through the crowd, which also left 30 people injured.
"It was not a DUI situation," she said. "This was more complex and more serious based on the information we have right now."
New Orleans' Fox 8 reports that the tragedy happened around 3:00 am.
Several witnesses spoke with CNN about the incident, including 22-year-old Kevin Garcia.
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“All I seen was a truck slamming into everyone on the left side of Bourbon sidewalk,” said Garcia.
"A body came flying at me," he added, noting that he also heard gunshots at that point.
Shreveport, Louisiana native, Whit Davis, told CNN that after she and others were "finally" let out from a nearby club by police, the law enforcement officials "waved us where to walk and were telling us to get out of the area fast."
She added, "I saw a few dead bodies they couldn’t even cover up and tons of people receiving first aid.”
According to Fox 8, this "comes as thousands visit the city for the Sugar Bowl matchup between Notre Dame and Georgia."
This is a developing story.
