Just three hours into the new year, with the echoes of Auld Lang Syne and fireworks still fresh in the air, a pickup truck raced down Bourbon Street, right in the heart of the French Quarter.
Jimmy Cothran and a buddy had just walked into a New Orleans nightclub when a group of young women burst in, seeking safety under the tables. We didn’t want to take any risks, Cothran, who’s lived in South Louisiana for 15 years, explained. They quickly moved upstairs to a balcony.
By the time Cothran peered over the railing to see what was happening below on Bourbon Street, the chaos—a shocking car attack that authorities say was inspired by ISIS—had already unfolded.
“The disfigurement and bodies everywhere… it’s something you can’t unsee; you’ll carry that with you forever.” What should have been a night of celebration turned into horror at the hands of a Texas-born Army veteran.
According to New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, his goal was clear: to run over as many people as possible. The tragedy claimed at least 14 lives, including a 27-year-old former Princeton football player from Louisiana, a 37-year-old father of two, and a 19-year-old student from Alabama.
Many others were hurt too; two police officers were injured while trying to stop him as he got out of his truck—he didn’t survive either. Cothran found himself stuck inside the club; despite being trained as a first responder and CPR-certified, he couldn’t help anyone outside.
“That made it even tougher,” said Cothran, who was acting as designated driver that night. “These victims were loved ones for someone out there… knowing they won’t be around anymore is just heartbreaking.”
A festive vibe just before the strike.
The Big Easy was buzzing with excitement! Hotels within a couple of miles from the Caesars Superdome were nearly at full capacity, packed with around 75,000 visitors who came to celebrate the arrival of 2025, catch some live music, or cheer on the Georgia Bulldogs as they took on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday night.
Go Irish! Go Dawgs! shouted vendor Jamie Profenno as she sat in the French Quarter, painting oyster shells in Notre Dame’s blue and gold alongside Georgia’s red.
I’m not picking a side, she told WVUE. The Sugar Bowl parade kicked off at 2 p.m. in the French Quarter, but some party-goers were already gathering at Jackson Square to grab their spots for watching the fleur-de-lis—New Orleans’ signature symbol—drop later that night, much like New York’s Times Square ball drop. While New York faced rainy weather, it was a pleasant mid-50s in New Orleans with a nice breeze.
When midnight struck, fireworks lit up the sky above the Mississippi River, bursting into a stunning array of colors!
They’re looking for you over at Canal and Bourbon.
As the streets buzzed with revelers long after the clock struck midnight, surveillance cameras caught a man—later confirmed to be the assailant—strolling through the French Quarter between 1 a.m. and 2 a.m. Some footage shows him ambling down Dauphine Street close to Governor Nicholls Street around 2 a.m., dressed in a long tan coat and jeans. Then, at 3:16 a.m., another camera picked up a white pickup truck heading northwest on Canal Street.
In that clip, you can see people hanging out; one couple hops into the back of an SUV while others linger on the median, seemingly waiting for the streetcar. Suddenly, the truck veers onto Bourbon Street, skillfully dodging a patrol car with its lights flashing before speeding out of sight and barreling through a crowd gathered outside a pharmacy on the corner.
Meanwhile, April McGee was in her hotel room above Bourbon Street when she mistook the chaos below for fireworks, she shared with WDSU.
But down on the street, panic gripped partygoers as Kimberly Stricklin from Mobile, Alabama witnessed the truck slam into passengers in a pedicab and later told WDSU that she can’t shake off hearing their screams. Kevin Garcia saw it all unfold as he watched from nearby; he described how the vehicle careened along the sidewalk and knocked people aside like they were nothing.
Zion Parsons, just 18 years old, found himself wedged between two bars as this real-life nightmare unfolded before him. “Everything that car hit was getting thrown up into the air,” he recounted. He was hanging out with two friends while waiting to head back home to Gulfport, Mississippi—but when that truck zoomed past them, only one friend made it to safety beside him; his other friend lay helplessly in the street. I just started screaming, he recalled.
The chaos didn’t stop there—the truck eventually crashed further down Bourbon Street. Footage from outside The Royal Sonesta New Orleans hotel showed bystanders rushing toward someone injured near where that pickup had collided while uniformed officers confronted its driver.
Then gunshots rang out and people scattered in fear. A dispatcher from New Orleans Fire Department urgently called over their radio: “We’re responding to a mass casualty incident—a vehicle ran into a crowd.”
They’re calling for you, the dispatcher told me, over at Canal and Bourbon. Just six blocks up, a group of officers outside a nightclub took off running, weaving through partygoers who were trying to get out of their way under the bright neon lights.
From one of the club’s balconies, Alex Birth-Mitchell filmed as state police with rifles raced down the street, while victims from the accident lay still on the ground. It was total chaos, Birth-Mitchell recalled. He had just walked into the club when everything went down and felt incredibly lucky to be safe. If we’d been waiting outside, we might not have made it, he said.
The results that followed.
By Wednesday morning, more law enforcement from local, state, and federal levels had gathered in the French Quarter, which was now considered a crime scene. Nearby, TV reporters were setting up their cameras, but photojournalists struggled to get clear shots because coroner vans were blocking the view at the end of Bourbon Street.
Inside a rented truck, investigators discovered an ISIS flag along with what appeared to be an improvised explosive device (IED), according to the FBI. Other potential IEDs were located throughout the French Quarter as well.
Authorities have named the suspect as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar. In several videos that officials believe he recorded while traveling from Texas to Louisiana, Jabbar mentioned that he initially intended to harm his family but ultimately decided to align himself with ISIS instead.
In New Orleans, officials encouraged tourists to continue enjoying their visit but advised them to avoid Bourbon Street for safety reasons. Some tried to enjoy their time despite everything; however, the atmosphere outside Café du Monde was quite heavy on Wednesday morning as many customers waited for a table at the famous spot known for its beignets.
The haunting notes of Auld Lang Syne floated through the air from a musician playing a tuba nearby. One customer even walked around handing out coffee cups to police officers on duty. Fans of Georgia and Notre Dame were noticeably less spirited than usual in their team colors.
By afternoon, officials made the decision to postpone the Sugar Bowl until Thursday. Meanwhile, other tourists like April and Paul McGee couldn’t bear staying any longer; they packed up their things and checked out early from their hotel room. We checked out, she told WDSU. Someone else can take our room; we don’t want it.