Driver Tried To Hit As Many People As Possible: Cops On New Orleans Attack

A man who drove a pickup truck into New Year's revellers in New Orleans tried to "run over as many people as he possibly could", US police said Wednesday.

The driver "was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did", Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told journalists after at least 10 people were killed in the southern US city.

The status and whereabouts of the driver were not immediately known.
Although the incident was not being treated as a terror attack, Kirkpatrick said the truck had been driven at "very high speed" and in a "very intentional" manner.

Operational command of the investigation will be taken by the FBI, she added.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry described the incident as a "horrific act of violence."

New Orleans is one of the most heavily visited destinations in the United States and the incident came shortly before the city hosts a major football game, known as the Sugar Bowl, featuring teams from the University of Georgia and Notre Dame.

Policing was heavy over the New Year's, according to the city, as authorities braced for big crowds.

The city police department had announced staffing at "100 percent, with an additional 300 officers assisting from partner law enforcement agencies," including on horseback and using unmarked units.

The iconic French Quarter listed special deals for New Year's, including LGBTQ parties and a drag cabaret nearby where the incident took place.

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