BOSTON – Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said the city is prepared to keep its residents safe at large events, in the wake of a deadly attack in New Orleans that left at least 10 people dead and dozens injured.
Officials said the man drove a pickup truck at a high rate of speed into a crowd of people celebrating the new year on the city’s famed Bourbon Street. The man was then killed in a shootout with police. He has since been identified as Shamsud Din Jabbar , a U.S. citizen living in Texas.
“It’s just unthinkable that on a day of celebration, something so devastating would happen,” said Wu. “So we really send all of our condolences and our hearts are with those who have been impacted by that situation and all of the victims and their families and the entire city of New Orleans.”
“Just a horrific, horrific incident,” said Gov. Maura Healey.
Was New Orleans prepared?
Police said Jabbar drove onto the sidewalk, around parked police cruisers and metal barricades. WBZ-TV security analyst Ed Davis said the lack of bollards will be a key focus of the investigation. New Orleans’ more permanent structures were not in place, set to replaced ahead of the Super Bowl being held in the city next month.