Ten people were killed and 30 injured after the driver of a vehicle struck a crowd on New Orleans historic Bourbon Street early Wednesday, according to NOLA Ready, the city’s emergency preparedness agency.
New Orleans police earlier said they were responding to a mass casualty incident, including fatalities. NOLA Ready has advised people to stay away from the area.
Local media said the ramming took place as a large crowd gathered to celebrate the new year in the city’s French Quarter, around 3:15 a.m. local time.
CBS┬аquoted witnesses as saying the driver┬аcrashed into the crowd at high speed,┬аand then got out and started firing a weapon, with police┬аreturning fire.
NOLA Ready said┬аthe injured were┬аtaken to five local hospitals.
The incident came┬аhours before the kickoff of the Allstate┬аSugar Bowl, a college football quarterfinal held in the city’s Caesars Superdome, with thousands expected to be in attendance.
