New Orleans mourns as Bourbon Street reopens after truck attack | In the images of the News
Crowds have returned to Bourbon Street in New Orleans as the city recovers from a deadly New Year’s Eve attack that left 14 dead and 35 injured.
On Friday, visitors paid their respects at a sidewalk memorial on Bourbon Street, near where the suspect drove his rental truck into the late-night crowd of revelers.
Officials said the driver, 42-year-old United States Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was inspired by the armed group ISIL (ISIS). Jabbar was killed in a firefight with police after he crashed his truck.
A law enforcement bulletin released Friday warned that federal agencies are “concerned about possible copycat or revenge attacks” after the car crash, which is being treated as an act of terrorism.
Meanwhile, several victims of the attack were identified in the American media. Among them are Kareem Badawi, a freshman from the University of Alabama; Nikyra Dedeaux, an aspiring nurse; Reggie Hunter, father of two; and Nicole Perez, a single mother of a four-year-old son.
By early Thursday morning, authorities had cleared the crime scene and removed the victims’ bodies. Mayor LaToya Cantrell said street cleaning began at 2 a.m. that same day and ended six hours later.
Bourbon Street reopened for business that afternoon. One of the main pedestrian thoroughfares in the historic French Quarter, Bourbon Street is known for its music, outdoor drinking and lively atmosphere.
Street entertainers, tourists and traditional “second line” brass bands were back on the streets by Friday, in an effort to restore normalcy.
Trombonist and longtime New Orleans resident Jonas Green said it was important for his band to perform after the violence.
“I know this music heals. It transforms the feelings we’re going through into something better,” Green said. “I must go on.”
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry also called on the city to show its resilience after the bloodshed and heartbreak.
“We care about every life that’s been lost in this city,” Landry said Thursday. “But it would be a tragedy to allow their losses to be stifled by fear. This city will be back, it will be open to family, friends and loved ones who want some time to relax from the pressures of life.”
