At least 10 dead after vehicle crashes into pedestrians in New Orleans

At least 10 people have died in New Orleans after a vehicle crashed into a crowd in the city’s iconic French Quarter.

Reports also indicate that after crashing the vehicle, the driver got out and started firing a weapon, while the police shot back. The incident happened at around 3:00am local time.

Authorities say that apart from the 10 fatalities, another 30 people are injured. The driver’s identity and condition is not yet known. “He was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” authorities stated in the hours after the attack.  

Footage circulating on social media shows people on the ground and medical responders trying to aid them. Another video shows people running away from what sounds like gunfire.

The New Orleans mayor initially described the tragedy as a "terrorist" attack, but this was later contradicted by the FBI, which clarified that it was "not a terrorist event." However, the agency noted that officers were investigating a potential explosive device found at the scene.  

Authorities have not yet disclosed details about the driver's condition, whether there is an ongoing threat, or the suspected motive behind the fatal incident.

This comes days after a Saudi national was charged in Germany with murder and attempted murder after driving into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing five and injuring more than 200.