城市和联邦官员表示，一名“执意”尽可能多地杀人的退伍军人驾驶一辆租来的皮卡，绕过一辆作为路障的警车，并在新奥尔良波旁街(Bourbon Street)冲过一群新年狂欢者，造成至少15人死亡，数十人受伤。
在著名的大街上三个街区的范围内砍倒了许多人，并向人群开枪后，嫌疑人被消息来源确认为沙姆苏德-丁·贾巴尔据称，42岁的执法官员在接受美国广播公司新闻采访时，手持突击步枪从卡车上下来，并向警察开火。消息人士称，警察开枪还击，打死了来自得克萨斯州的美国公民贾巴尔。当局称，至少有两名警察受伤，一名被枪击，另一名被卡车压住。
负责美国联邦调查局新奥尔良办事处的助理特别探员Althea Duncan说，调查人员不认为贾巴尔是单独行动的。
邓肯在周三下午的新闻发布会上说:“我们不认为贾巴尔是唯一的责任人。”。“我们正在积极追查每一条线索，包括他已知的同伙。这就是为什么我们需要公众的帮助。我们正在询问是否有人在你联系我们的过去72小时内与沙姆苏德·丁·贾巴尔有过任何接触。”
周日晚上，拜登总统在马里兰州的戴维营总统度假地短暂露面，对他所说的“这一令人发指的行为”发表讲话。他说，美国联邦调查局告诉他，“就在袭击发生前几个小时，(贾巴尔)在社交媒体上发布视频，表明他受到“伊斯兰国”的启发，表达了杀人的欲望。”
拜登还表示，“执法部门和情报部门”正在调查新奥尔良袭击事件与恐怖袭击之间是否有“任何可能的联系”一辆特斯拉赛博卡车周日爆炸特朗普拉斯维加斯酒店外。
拜登说:“到目前为止，这方面没有什么可报道的。”
消息人士称，新奥尔良警方审查了监控视频，视频显示几个人在汽车袭击前放置了潜在的爆炸装置，这使他们相信他不是“唯一的责任人”。调查人员正在紧急工作，以确定被摄像头看到的个人，并将其拘留。
邓肯说乔巴是一名退伍军人。消息人士告诉ABC新闻，除了突击步枪，贾巴尔据称还配有一把手枪。
当局也在努力确定新奥尔良的袭击事件和特斯拉赛博卡车爆炸一名官员说，周三在内华达州特朗普拉斯维加斯酒店(Trump Las Vegas hotel)外，该酒店正被调查为可能的恐怖行为。
多个执法部门消息人士告诉美国广播公司新闻，在拉斯维加斯爆炸的网络卡车是在Turo上租赁的——消息人士称，同一应用程序用于租赁新奥尔良致命袭击中使用的皮卡。
警长凯文·麦克马希尔告诉记者，调查人员正试图确定这是否与新奥尔良袭击事件有关。
美国广播公司已联系Turo寻求置评，但没有得到任何回应。
新奥尔良验尸官德怀特·麦肯纳博士周三下午晚些时候发布了一份声明，称“截至目前，已有15人死亡。”
“完成所有尸检需要几天时间。一旦我们完成尸检并与近亲交谈，我们将公布受害者的身份，”麦肯纳的声明继续说。
路易斯安那州民主党众议员特洛伊·卡特(Troy Carter)周三下午早些时候告诉美国广播公司(ABC)新闻，在这起事件中丧生的人数已从10人上升至15人。他说，另有25人受伤住院。在周三的新闻发布会上，新奥尔良警察局局长安妮·柯克帕特里克说，她只能确认至少有10人死亡，但她说有几个人受到了危及生命的伤害。
周三下午，休斯顿美国联邦调查局和得克萨斯州哈里斯县警长办公室在社交媒体上发布消息称，他们“目前正在休斯顿北部休路和新月峰车道的交叉口附近开展执法活动”
“我们已经在该地区设置了警戒线，并要求人们避开该地区，”公告称。“美国联邦调查局·休斯顿的人员和专门小组将在现场停留几个小时。这项活动与今天早上新奥尔良的袭击有关，但由于调查正在进行，所以不能提供进一步的信息。
安全护柱当时不工作
柯克帕特里克说，安全护柱当时没有工作，因为它们正在为即将到来的超级碗进行更换。她证实，嫌疑人在人行道上开车，以避开封锁十字路口的一辆警车。
“我们确实有一个计划，但恐怖分子挫败了它，”柯克帕特里克说。
邓肯说，在皮卡车内发现了简易爆炸装置和其他武器。她说，在法国区发现了另外两个简易爆炸装置，并且已经安全。
多个执法部门消息人士告诉ABC新闻，在波旁街现场及其周围发现的简易爆炸装置显然被确定是可行的，调查人员正在该市的法国区寻找更多的简易爆炸装置。美国联邦调查局称发现了两个装置，并保证了安全。消息人士称，在现场发现了塞满线圈和钉子的粗制管状炸弹以及一枚手榴弹。
在2020年发布的一段YouTube视频中，嫌疑袭击者表示，他在德克萨斯州的博蒙特出生并长大，在成为休斯顿地区的房地产经纪人之前，他在美国军方工作了十年。他在视频中说，他在军队的几年是作为人力资源和信息技术专家度过的，该视频已从YouTube上删除。
据一名消息人士援引初步执法信息称，嫌疑人租用的卡车似乎于周二在德克萨斯州被发现，但尚不清楚嫌疑人当时是否在车内。Duncan说，皮卡尾部悬挂着一面“伊斯兰国”国旗，并补充说，美国联邦调查局正在试图评估嫌疑人与恐怖组织的联系。
糖碗首席执行官杰夫·亨德利在周三的新闻发布会上宣布，佐治亚大学和圣母大学之间的糖碗比赛已从周三晚上推迟到周四晚上。这场比赛定于周三晚上在新奥尔良开球，在汽车冲撞袭击事件发生后，警方仍专注于确保法国区的安全。
包括新奥尔良在内的奥尔良帕里什地区检察官贾森·威廉姆斯告诉美国广播公司，调查人员正在进行网格搜索，以确定是否有人安放了其他爆炸装置。
新奥尔良警方和酒精、烟草、火器和爆炸物管理局的特工已经封锁了一所据信是AirBnB的房屋，该房屋位于距离市中心约2英里的St. Roch社区。目前还不清楚嫌疑人是否与AirBnB租房有关。
被调查为恐怖袭击
新奥尔良市长拉托亚·坎特雷尔将这起可怕的事件描述为“恐怖袭击”,美国联邦调查局表示，正在将其作为恐怖行为进行调查。流血事件发生在德国致命的车辆冲撞袭击之后。执法部门越来越担心此类袭击，冬季节日活动中单独行动者的袭击也是如此。
警长柯克帕特里克说，司机试图杀死尽可能多的人。袭击中使用的卡车似乎是一辆电动汽车F-150 Lightning。
混战结束时，至少有35人受伤，新奥尔良警方和市政府官员最初表示。官员们说，大多数受害者似乎是当地人。
“他一心想制造他所制造的大屠杀，”柯克帕特里克在周三早些时候的新闻发布会上说。
新奥尔良警察局(New Orleans Police Department)表示，尽管警方为新年前夕和糖杯(Sugar Bowl)配备了“100%的人员”，但袭击还是发生了。糖杯是每年元旦举行的一场大学橄榄球赛。警察局说，另外有300名来自合作机构的警察在执勤。
据白宫称，总统乔·拜登已经听取了袭击的简报，并与坎特雷尔联系以提供支持。
拜登在一份声明中说:“我将全天继续收到更新，当我们有进一步的信息分享时，我会有更多的话要说。”“与此同时，我对受害者和他们的家人深表同情，他们只是想庆祝这个节日。任何形式的暴力都是没有道理的，我们不会容忍对我们国家任何社区的任何攻击。”
当选总统唐纳德·特朗普在他的真相社交平台上发布了一份声明，称“我们的心与所有无辜的受害者及其亲人在一起，包括新奥尔良警察局的勇敢警官。特朗普政府将全力支持新奥尔良市进行调查，并从这一纯粹的邪恶行为中恢复过来!”
一名高级联邦执法消息人士告诉ABC新闻，当地政府周三早些时候向美国联邦调查局寻求援助。消息人士称，一个指挥中心正在建立。美国联邦调查局将领导这次调查。
“可怕的暴力行为”
“今天早上早些时候，波旁街发生了一起可怕的暴力事件，”州长杰夫·兰德里说，并补充说他的家人正在为受害者和第一反应者祈祷。
目击者丹·麦克菲(Dan McFee)说，他刚刚走出酒店去买优步，正站在波旁街附近的运河街上，这时他听到轮胎发出刺耳的声音，转身看到白色皮卡拐上波旁街，朝他和一名女性朋友迎面而来。
“它在波旁街右转，直接向我和我的一位女性朋友驶来，我基本上是用双臂抱住她，然后扑到车的右侧，”McFee告诉ABC新闻。“我不记得它到底是撞到了我还是一些碎片，但我们被带到了空中，然后降落在人行道上。这辆车确实撞上了我站在旁边的一位先生。当我们倒在地上时，他似乎还在呼吸，而他身后的女人似乎没有呼吸，车辆继续在路上行驶。”
片刻之后，他说他听到了枪声。
当被问及是否看到了司机的脸时，McFee说，“我所能记得的，并且在我脑海中回放的，就是看到卡车的前部向我们驶来。”
McFee说他和他的朋友在事故中受到了碰撞和擦伤。
当被问及事发时是否看到了波旁街上的钢铁路障时，McFee说，“我不相信他们在上面。我没有看到任何上升。”
“考虑到波旁街上的人数，我有点惊讶这辆车能走这么远，”麦克菲说。“他们确实有那些可以来回移动的金属门。我不知道他们是否只是为了让优步和来福车的车手通过才下来的，但我不记得见过他们上来。”
新奥尔良的目击者Jimmy Cothran告诉ABC新闻，卡车袭击开始时，他和一个朋友正在波旁街上行走。他说，他们躲进了一家酒吧，几分钟后，四名疯狂的妇女挤过安检，冲进酒吧，藏在桌子底下。
“当我们登上阳台时，我们看到的是疯狂，”认证急救医疗技师科塔兰说。“我的意思是，这是电影中的东西，它的图像性质。难以置信。我们立即数了数，我看到了10具尸体，其中6具明显已经死亡，其他人大叫着，身边还有一具。每个人都刚刚彻底清空了街道。”
Cothran说，他试图出去帮助伤者，但被保安拦住了。
另一名要求只透露姓名的目击者告诉ABC新闻，他被最初以为是烟火的声音惊醒。
“大约凌晨3点15分，我们听到‘砰、砰、砰、砰’的声音，紧接着是一声听起来像是焰火燃放的声音，就像是突然燃放的大型焰火，”保罗·s说。“后来发现那就是崩盘。”
他说他从酒店的窗户往外看，看到了一片混乱，尸体散落在下面的街道上。
保罗·s·说:“我当时的想法是，如果你能想象一条街道，人行道上到处都是砖块之类的东西，然后垃圾桶旁边躺着尸体，人们冲过去提供援助。”
他说，他看到一名从轮椅上被摔下来的男子躺在参与袭击的卡车旁边的地上，痛苦地扭动着。
“剪式升降机下面还有一具尸体，”保罗·s·说。
通过app租赁的卡车
据卡车主人罗德里戈·迪亚兹(Rodrigo Diaz)称，袭击中使用的福特F-150闪电卡车显然是通过汽车共享公司Turo app租赁的。迪亚兹告诉美国广播公司新闻，他通过应用程序将卡车租给了一个人，目前正在与美国联邦调查局交谈。他拒绝进一步置评。
迪亚兹的妻子多拉·迪亚兹告诉ABC新闻，她和她的丈夫对这一事件感到震惊。
“我丈夫通过Turo应用程序租车。我不能告诉你别的。我和我的孩子在这里，这是毁灭性的，”多拉·迪亚兹说。
一位了解调查情况的消息人士告诉美国广播公司休斯顿站KTRK，执法部门收集的初步信息表明，周二在德克萨斯州北哈里斯县观察到了显然参与新奥尔良袭击事件的卡车。消息人士称，这辆卡车大约在上午10点15分和11点10分出现在哈里斯县。据消息人士称，周二中午过后，这辆卡车在德克萨斯州的Baytown被发现，在10号州际公路上向东朝着新奥尔良的方向行驶。
执法部门没有说在德克萨斯州发现嫌疑袭击者时他是否在车里。
部署所有可用的资源
司法部长梅里克·加兰证实，美国联邦调查局正在将这一事件作为恐怖主义行为进行调查。他说，司法部国家安全部门和美国路易斯安那州东区检察官办公室正在与当地执法部门合作，“将部署一切可用资源进行调查。”
加兰在一份声明中说:“今天早上，美国听到新奥尔良发生一起可怕的悲剧，造成至少10人死亡，更多人受伤。”。“对于那些在新年伊始就得知自己所爱的人在这场可怕的袭击中丧生的人，我的心碎了，我为几十名受伤者祈祷，包括冒着生命危险拯救他人的新奥尔良警察局警官。”
临近假期，联邦执法和情报部门警告全国各地的警察，低技术车辆碰撞是一个值得关注的关键领域，他们需要做好准备——这是在德国人之前圣诞市场袭击12月20日，有5人死亡，数百人受伤。
在12月9日对时代广场新年前夕庆祝活动的评估中，联邦和地方机构写道:“我们仍然担心在高调的户外活动中使用车辆冲撞……车辆冲撞已经成为西方威胁行为者经常使用的策略，其特点是(恐怖分子、极端分子)和单独犯罪者对瞄准拥挤的行人区持续感兴趣。”
“有30名受伤的病人被NOEMS运送，10人死亡，”该市说，使用新奥尔良紧急医疗服务的缩写。
警方后来表示，至少有35人受伤，被送往五家当地医院——大学医疗中心、图罗医院、东杰斐逊总医院、奥克斯纳医疗中心杰斐逊校区和奥克斯纳浸礼会校区。
New Orleans attack updates: Suspect 'inspired by ISIS,' was military veteran
An Army veteran who was "hell-bent" on killing as many people as possible drove a rented pickup truck around a parked police car serving as a barricade and plowed through a crowd of New Year's revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, leaving at least 15 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 -- identified by sources asShamsud-Din Jabbar, 42 -- 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 Jabbar, a U.S.-born citizen from Texas, sources said. At least two police officers were injured, one by gunfire and the other was hurt when officer was pinned by the truck, authorities said.
Althea Duncan, assistant special agent in charge of FBI New Orleans field office, said investigators do not believe Jabbar acted alone.
"We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible," Duncan said during a news conference Wednesday afternoon. "We are aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associated. That's why we need the public's help. We are asking if anybody had any interaction with Shamsud-Din Jabbar in the last 72 hours that you contact us."
Addressing what he called "this heinous act" in a brief appearance before reporters Sunday night at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, President Biden said that the FBI told him that "mere hours before the attack, [Jabbar] posted videos on social media indicating that he's inspired by ISIS, expressing a desire to kill."
Biden also said "law enforcement and the intelligence community" were investigating whether there was "any possible connection" between the New Orleans attack and theexplosion of a Tesla Cybertruck Sundayoutside of the Trump Las Vegas hotel.
"Thus far, there's nothing to report on that score," Biden said.
New Orleans police have reviewed surveillance video that appears to show several people planting potential explosive devices in advance of the vehicle attack, which led them to believe he was not "solely responsible," sources said. Investigators are urgently working to identify the individuals who were seen on camera and take them into custody.
Duncan said Jabbar was an Army veteran. In addition to the assault rifle, Jabbar was allegedly armed with a handgun, sources told ABC News.
Authorities are also working to determine whether there may be a link between the New Orleans attack and aTesla Cybertruck explosionon Wednesday outside the Trump Las Vegas hotel in Nevada, which is being investigated as a possible act of terror, an official said.
Multiple law enforcement sources told ABC News that the Cybertruck that exploded in Las Vegas was rented on Turo -- the same app sources said was used to rent the pickup truck used in the deadly attack in New Orleans.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill told reporters that investigators are trying to determine whether there is a connection to the New Orleans attack.
ABC has reached out to Turo for comment but has gotten no response.
New Orleans Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna released a statement late Wednesday afternoon that said "As of now, 15 people are deceased."
"It will take several days to perform all autopsies. Once we complete the autopsies and talk with the next of kin, we will release the identifications of the victims," McKenna's statement continued.
Rep. Troy Carter, D-Louisiana, told ABC News earlier Wednesday afternoon that the number of people killed in the incident had risen from 10 to 15. He said another 25 people were hospitalized with injuries. During Wednesday's news conference, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said that she could only confirm that at least 10 had died, but she said several people had suffered life-threatening injuries.
On Wednesday afternoon, the FBI in Houston and the Harris County, Texas, Sheriff's Office, posted a message on social media that they are are "currently conducting law enforcement activity near the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive in north Houston."
"We have secured a perimeter in that area and are asking people to avoid the area," the notice said. "FBI Houston personnel and specialized teams will be on-site for several hours. This activity is related to this morning's New Orleans attack, but due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, no further information can be provided.
Security bollards not working at the time
Kirkpatrick said security bollards were not working at the time because they were in the process of being replaced for the upcoming Super Bowl. She confirmed that the suspect drove on the sidewalk to get around a police car blocking the intersection.
"We did indeed have a plan but the terrorist defeated it," Kirkpatrick said.
Duncan said improvised explosives devices (IEDs) and other weapons were found inside the pick truck. She said two additional IEDs were discovered in the French Quarter and rendered safe.
The IEDs found in and around the scene on Bourbon Street were apparently determined to be viable and investigators were looking for more in the city's French Quarter, multiple law enforcement sources tell ABC News. The FBI said two devices were found and rendered safe. Crude pipe bombs stuffed with coils and nails were found at the scene along with a grenade, sources said.
In a YouTube video posted in 2020, the suspected attacker said he was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, and spent a decade working in the U.S. military before becoming a realtor in the Houston area. His years in the military, he said in the video that has since been removed from YouTube, were spent working as a human resources and IT specialist.
It appears that the truck the suspect rented was spotted in Texas on Tuesday, but it was not clear if the suspect was in the vehicle at the time, according to a source citing preliminary law enforcement information. An ISIS flag was attached to the pickup rear hitch, Duncan said, adding that the FBI is trying to assess the suspect's connection to the terror groups.
The Sugar Bowl between the University of Georgia and Notre Dame has been postponed from Wednesday night to Thursday night, Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley announced at Wednesday's news conference. The game was set to kickoff Wednesday night at the New Orleans, where police remain focused on securing the French Quarter after the vehicle ramming attack.
Jason Williams, the district attorney of Orleans Parrish, which includes New Orleans, told ABC News that investigators are conducting a grid search to determine if other explosive devices were planted.
New Orleans police and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobaco, Firearms and Explosives have cordoned a home believed to be an AirBnB in the St. Roch neighborhood about 2 miles from downtown. It was not immediately clear if the suspect is associated with the AirBnB rental.
Investigated as terror attack
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the horrific incident a "terrorist attack" and the FBI said it was being investigated as an act of terror. The bloodshed comes on the heels of a deadly vehicle ramming attack in Germany. Fears of such attacks were a growing concern among law enforcement as well as attacks by lone actors at winter holiday events.
Police Superintendent 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.
By the time the melee had ended, at least 35 people were injured,New Orleanspolice and city officials initially said. Most of the victims appeared to be local, officials said.
"He was hell-bent on creating the carnage that he did," Kirkpatrick said at a news conference early Wednesday.
The New Orleans Police Department said the attack occurred despite the force being "staffed 100%" for New Year's Eve and the Sugar Bowl, a college football game played annually on New Year's Day. An additional 300 officers were on duty from partner agencies, the police department said.
President Joe Biden has been briefed on the attack and has been in touch with Cantrell to offer support, according to the White House.
"I will continue to receive updates throughout the day, and I will have more to say as wehave further information to share," Biden said in a statement."In the meantime, my heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday. There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation's communities."
President-elect Donald Trump posted a statement on his Truth Social platform, saying, "Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!"
Local authorities asked the FBI for assistance early on Wednesday, a senior federal law enforcement source told ABC News. A command center was being set up, the source said. The FBI was set to lead the investigation.
'Horrific act of violence'
"A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning," Gov. Jeff Landry said, adding that his family was praying for the victims and first responders.
Witness Dan McFee said he had just walked out of his hotel to get an Uber and was standing on Canal Street near Bourbon Street, when he heard squealing tires and turned to see the white pickup truck turning onto Bourbon Street and heading right toward him and a female friend.
"It made a right-hand turn onto Bourbon and it was heading directly towards me and a female friend I had with me, and [I] basically wrapped my arms around her and threw ourselves to the right of the vehicle," McFee told ABC News. "I don't remember exactly if it hit me or some debris, but we were flown into the air and came down on the sidewalk. The vehicle did hit a gentleman that I was standing beside. While we were down on the ground, it appeared that he was breathing and then the woman behind him didn't appear to be breathing and the vehicle continued down the road."
Moments later, he said he heard gunshots.
Asked if he saw the driver's face, McFee said, "All I could remember, and it's replaying in my head, is seeing the front of the truck coming at us."
McFee said he and his friend suffered bumps and bruises in the incident.
Asked if he saw the steel barricades up on Bourbon Street at the time of the incident, McFee said, “I don't believe they were up. I didn't see any that were up."
"I was kind of surprised that the vehicle was able to get as far as it did just considering the amount of people that were on Bourbon Street," McFee said. "They did have those metal gates that they were able to move back and forth. I don't know if they were down just for the Uber drivers and the Lyft drivers to get through, but I don't remember seeing them up."
Witness Jimmy Cothran of New Orleans told ABC News that he and a friend were walking on Bourbon Street when the truck attack began. He said they ducked into a bar and within minutes, four frantic women pushed through security, rushed into the bar and hid under tables.
"When we got on the balcony, what we saw was insanity," Cothran, a certified emergency medical technician, said. "I mean it was something out of a movie, the graphic nature of it. It was unbelievable. We instantly counted I'd saw 10 bodies, six clearly graphically deceased and the others yelling with one around. Everyone had just cleared the street completely."
Cothran said he tried to go out and help the injured but was stopped by security.
Another witness, who requested to be identified only as Paul S., told ABC News he was startled awake by the sound of what he initially thought was fireworks.
"Around 3:15 [a.m.], we heard a 'pop, pop, pop, pop' sound followed by a sound that sounded like fireworks going off, like big fireworks all at once," Paul S. said. "Then it turned out that was the crash."
He said he looked outside his hotel window, he saw a chaotic scene with bodies strewn on the street below.
"What I was was if you can imagine a street with brick and whatnot littered all around the sidewalk, and then there were bodies laid up next to garbage cans and people rushing to give aid," Paul S. said.
He said he observed a man who had been thrown from his wheelchair lying on the ground next to the truck involved in in the attack writhing in pain.
"There was also a body underneath a scissor lift," Paul S. said.
Truck rented through app
The Ford F-150 Lightning truck used in the attack was apparently rented through the Turo app -- a car sharing company, according to Rodrigo Diaz, the owner of the truck. Diaz told ABC News he rented the truck to an individual through the app and is currently talking to the FBI. He declined further comment.
Diaz wife, Dora Diaz, told ABC News that she and her husband are devastated by the incident.
"My husband rents cars through the Turo app. I can’t tell you anything else. I’m here with my kids, and this is devastating," Dora Diaz said.
Preliminary information put together by law enforcement indicates the truck apparently involved in the New Orleans attack was observed Tuesday in north Harris County, Texas, a source briefed on the investigation told ABC Houston station KTRK. The truck was seen in Harris County around 10:15 a.m. and again 11:10 a.m., the source said. Just after noon on Tuesday, the truck was spotted in Baytown, Texas, heading east on Interstate 10 in the direction of New Orleans, according to the source.
Law enforcement has not said whether the suspected attacker was in the vehicle when it was spotted in Texas.
Deploying 'every available resource
Attorney General Merrick Garland confirmed the FBI is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. He said the the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana are working with local law enforcement and "will deploy every available resource to conduct this investigation.”
"The country woke up this morning to news of a terrible tragedy in New Orleans that killed at least 10 people and injured many more," Garland said in a statement. "My heart is broken for those who began their year by learning people they love were killed in this horrific attack, and my prayers are with the dozens who were injured, including the New Orleans Police Department Officers who risked their lives to save others."
Leading up to the holidays, federal law enforcement and intelligence had warned police around the country that low-tech vehicle ramming was a key area of concern and that they needed to prepare -- and that was before the GermanChristmas market attackon Dec. 20, in which five people were killed and hundreds were injured.
In a Dec. 9 assessment for the Times Square New Year’s Eve celebration, federal and local agencies wrote: “We remain concerned about the use of vehicle ramming against high-profile outdoor events…Vehicle ramming has become a recurring tactic employed by threat actors in the West, marked by a continued interest by (terrorists, extremists) and lone offenders in targeting crowded pedestrian areas.”
"There are 30 injured patients that have been transported by NOEMS and 10 fatalities," the city said, using an acronym for the New Orleans Emergency Medical Services.
The police later said at least 35 people were injured and taken to five local hospitals -- University Medical Center, Touro Hospital, East Jefferson General Hospital, Ochsner Medical Center Jefferson Campus and Ochsner Baptist Campus.
