GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The deadly attack in New Orleans in the early hours of New Year’s Day is sparking discussions on crowd safety and security across the country.
As Bourbon Street reopened and law enforcement continues its investigation, experts are looking at what measures were in place before Shamsud-Din Jabbar plowed a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers , killing at least 14 people and injuring dozens more.
“Certainly, definitely a security failure,” said Jason Russell, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who founded Secure Environment Consultants in metro Grand Rapids.
New Orleans attacker had suspected bomb materials at home, reserved truck weeks ago, officials say
Plenty of security assets are used for events like the Super Bowl, but according to Russell, that’s usually not the case for “softer targets.”
“An event that isn’t nearly as secure as what we saw on New Year’s Eve, (an attacker is) more likely to have success. Those tend to be softer targets and more attractive for a terrorist,” Russell said.