2 officers shot and wounded in New Orleans 'terrorist attack:' police

Two police officers are in stable condition after being shot in a mass casualty incident in the southern U.S. city of New Orleans on Wednesday that has left at least 10 people dead and over 35 others injured so far, the city's police chief told a press briefing.

Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said a man drove a pickup truck down the city's Bourbon Street "at a very fast pace" around 3:15 a.m. local time. The man displayed "very intentional behavior" and was "trying to run over as many people as he possibly could," Kirkpatrick said.

She also confirmed reports of gunfire after the car crash, saying two police officers were shot by the suspect from his vehicle.

Kirkpatrick said she didn't know how many of the victims are tourists, adding that "it seems the majority are locals."

The White House said in a statement that U.S. President Joe Biden has been briefed about the incident.

Was it a terrorist attack?

While appealing to people to avoid the area, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell told the press that the city was impacted by a "terrorist attack."

But minutes later, Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's New Orleans field office, said at the same press briefing that the incident was "not a terrorist attack."

The FBI later issued a statement saying the bureau is investigating the incident "as an act of terrorism."

Duncan said officials were investigating at least one suspected improvised explosive device discovered at the scene.

Local TV station WDSU broadcast footage of a law enforcement robot examining the underside of the vehicle.

The attacker has been reported dead. The FBI and police are still trying to find his motive.

A history of similar incidents

New Orleans has seen shootings and cars colliding with crowds at past parades.

In November 2024, two people were killed and 10 others injured in two separate shootings along a New Orleans parade route and celebration attended by thousands, local media reported.

In February 2017, a pickup truck driven by a man who police said appeared to be highly intoxicated plowed into a crowd of spectators watching the main Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, injuring more than 20 people.