The Archbishop of New Orleans (United States), Bishop Gregory Aymond, offered his prayers for the victims of the mass accident that occurred this January 1 on Bourbon Street, when a subject crashed a van into the crowd celebrating the arrival of the New Year. New 2025.
So far the death of 10 people has been reported, while the FBI is investigating whether it is a terrorist act. indicó Associated Press (AP).
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“Our prayers are with those who were killed and injured in this morning’s horrific attack on Bourbon Street,” Bishop Aymond said in a brief statement posted on the Archdiocese’s website and Facebook page. “This violent act is a sign of absolute lack of respect for human life,” he said.
According to police, the incident occurred around 3:15 am when attendees were celebrating the beginning of the new year. In addition to the 10 deaths, there are 30 injured people, who have been transferred to five hospitals in the area.
After the vehicle stopped, the suspect exchanged gunfire with police until he was killed, the AP reported. At least two officers were injured and taken to a local hospital.
The driver was identified by the FBI as Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a 42-year-old American citizen from Texas.
“I join with others in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans in offering prayerful support to the families of the victims,” the prelate’s statement continued. “I give thanks for the heroic duty of hundreds of law enforcement officers and medical personnel in the face of such evil,” he added.
Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver was “bent on creating the carnage and damage he caused” and tried to “run over as many people as he could,” according to the AP.
Authorities said the vehicle Jabbar was driving contained an Islamic State flag, as well as weapons and a “potential” explosive device, the report said. New York Times.
The city of New Orleans is hosting this year’s Sugar Bowl college football game between second-ranked Georgia and third-ranked Notre Dame. Authorities said the meeting will take place as planned.
The New Orleans incident comes a couple of weeks after a car driven by an immigrant from Saudi Arabia charged into a crowd at a Christmas market in the central German city of Magdeburg, killing at least two people, according to media reports.
Translated and adapted by the ACI Prensa team. Originally published in CNA.
Tina Dennelly
Tina Dennelly is Senior Copy Editor at Catholic News Agency. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism and has more than 25 years of experience writing and editing for Catholic newspapers, magazines, books and other media.