NEW ORLEANS — Fifteen people were killed and at least 35 injured after a man drove a pickup truck into the crowd and then opened fire on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street early on New Year’s Day.

New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the incident was intentional, and the FBI is investigating it as an act of terrorism. The FBI is leading the investigation.

Kirkpatrick said that, at approximately 3:15 a.m., a man drove a white Ford pickup truck at a high rate of speed into a crowd at the corner of Bourbon and Canal streets. He continued for nearly three blocks until colliding with a scissors lift parked in front of the Royal Sonesta Hotel, between Bienville and Conti streets.

The man then fired on police after crashing the vehicle, and was killed in the exchange of gunfire.

Two New Orleans police officers were wounded. It was unclear exactly how many of the dead and wounded were injured by the vehicle, and how many were shot.

The death toll was originally listed at 10, and then raised to 15 late Wednesday afternoon.

The FBI said the attacker has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Texas.

Jabbar was alone in the truck, but Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said other suspects are being sought.

Investigators recovered weapons and an improvised explosive device from the truck following the shootout. Kirkpatrick added that law enforcement was “walking a grid” throughout the French Quarter and downtown New Orleans to search for more IEDs.

The FBI also said Jabbar had an ISIS flag in the truck, and was dressed in military gear. Duncan said two improvised explosive devices had been located in the French Quarter and “rendered safe.” NOLA.com reported that the two homemade bombs were found along Bourbon Street, and a remote control to detonate them was found in Jabbar’s truck.

Much of Bourbon Street is regularly blocked off to vehicle traffic and is open only to pedestrians. Heavy metal poles called bollards are designed to keep cars from entering.

Kirkpatrick said Jabbar drove on the sidewalk to get around a barricade — a New Orleans Police Department vehicle with its lights flashing — parked across the intersection of Bourbon and Canal streets.

A surveillance video from the other side of Canal Street showed Jabbar approaching the intersection and driving normally in traffic while heading north. He then suddenly turned right onto Bourbon, going around the parked police SUV while accelerating through a crowd on the sidewalk.

“This is not just an act of terrorism. This is an act of evil,” Kirkpatrick said.

Video shows the moment the FBI says Shamsud Din Jabbar raced onto a packed Bourbon Street from Canal Street in a pickup truck with Texas plates and an ISIS flag. https://t.co/P0iWiTX30Z pic.twitter.com/hmeB1tUjpc

— FOX 8 New Orleans (@FOX8NOLA) January 1, 2025

Kirkpatrick said it appeared the majority of the dead and wounded were locals from New Orleans. Although they have not been identified by authorities, some families have confirmed their names to media outlets.

Among the dead was Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, an 18-year-old from Gulfport, NOLA.com reported.

It is a busy tourist week for the city, with both New Year’s Eve and the Sugar Bowl drawing visitors. Eight blocks around Bourbon Street were closed Wednesday as police and the FBI began their investigation.

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said a military police company consisting of about 100 troops would be mobilized to assist.

“We do not want anyone on Bourbon Street today,” Kirkpatrick said. “We do want you to go about the day. Just stay away from Bourbon.”

The Sugar Bowl, a College Football Playoff game between Georgia and Notre Dame, was scheduled to be played in the Superdome Wednesday night but was postponed until Thursday at 7:45 p.m.

“We have been in consultation with ESPN, the College Football Playoff, New Orleans police and the FBI, all parties, and all agree it’s in the best interest and public safety to postpone the game for 24 hours,” Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said. “We live in the fun and games world, but we recognize the importance of this.”