Paige Bryan is a survivor of the New Year’s terror attack in New Orleans, as she recounted in an interview on NewsNation’s program “Banfield” aired on Thursday, January 2nd. She described the scene after the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, drove past her, calling the attack “extremely painful.”
“He (his truck) hit everyone in the crowd, including me. The scene was beyond imagination,” Bryan said.
She continued, “I couldn’t believe my eyes. Everyone was shocked and at a loss… it all happened so fast.”
Authorities continue to investigate the New Year’s Day “terror attack” that occurred at the bustling intersection of Canal Street and Bourbon Street in New Orleans. During the incident, a rented truck plowed into the crowd, resulting in at least 15 deaths and 35 injuries.
The suspect, Jabbar, was a resident of Beaumont, Texas, born in the United States. He drove into the New Year’s celebrants at 3:15 a.m. on Wednesday, firing at local law enforcement upon exiting the vehicle. Law enforcement officers returned fire, fatally shooting him on the spot.
According to a law enforcement officer speaking to the Associated Press, following the gun battle, investigators found a handgun and an AR-style rifle.
Local officials stated that as of Friday, the identities of all the deceased had been confirmed, with New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell notifying the families of the victims.
President Biden stated on Thursday that there is no evidence linking the New Orleans attack to the truck explosion in Las Vegas that occurred on the same day. He mentioned that the perpetrator of the New Orleans attack acted alone but directed his team to continue searching for more clues.
As of now, the investigation is ongoing to determine the motive behind the horrific attack that shook the city of New Orleans and left many families grieving.