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New Orleans’ police commissioner said the Allstate Sugar Bowl will be played as scheduled Wednesday night amid an investigation after a driver in a pickup truck plowed through crowds on Bourbon Street, killing 10 and injuring at least 35.
Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said officers would work to ensure safety at the Sugar Bowl, indicating that the game would go on as scheduled.
The attack occurred around 3:15 a.m. CT Wednesday in New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter district, known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties. Crowds in the city had also ballooned in anticipation of the College Football Playoff game between Georgia and Notre Dame at the nearby Superdome on Wednesday night.
The driver of the vehicle was killed in a firefight with police following the attack, the FBI said, adding that it was heading an investigation “with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”
After the vehicle came to a stop, the driver emerged from the truck and opened fire on responding officers, New Orleans police said. Officers returned fire, striking and killing the driver, police said.
“He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” Kirkpatrick said. “It was very intentional behavior. This man was trying to run over as many people as he could.”
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said officials were investigating the discovery of at least one suspected improvised explosive device at the scene.
“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning,” Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said in a statement. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available.”
The University of Georgia said in a statement that it was “horrified and saddened by the senseless act of violence.
“University personnel are working to determine if any UGA students, faculty, staff, alumni or fans were among the victims,” the school said. “We offer our deepest condolences to all the victims and their families, and we stand in solidarity with the New Orleans community.”
Atlanta Police released a statement saying they would deploy specialized units and additional personnel to the area around Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Wednesday. Atlanta is hosting another College Football Playoff quarterfinal with the Peach Bowl, with Texas facing Arizona State.
NOLA Ready, the city’s emergency preparedness department, said the injured had been taken to five local hospitals. Two police officers who were shot after the driver emerged from the truck are in stable condition, Kirkpatrick said.
The White House said President Joe Biden had been briefed on the attack, and the Justice Department said Attorney General Merrick Garland was also briefed.
ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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