President Joe Biden stated on Wednesday that there is “no justification” for what he described as a “horrific” incident early on New Year’s Day in New Orleans, emphasizing that the FBI is investigating it as a terrorist crime.
“I have been continually briefed since early this morning by federal law enforcement leadership and my homeland security team, including Secretary of Homeland Security Ali Mayorkas, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, and the Mayor of New Orleans regarding the horrific incident that occurred there overnight,” Biden told reporters in a written statement.
A vehicle rammed into a crowd gathered on Bourbon Street, killing at least 10 people and injuring 35, according to authorities.
Police said the motorist was “hellbent” on inflicting damage as they drove at high speeds along the street early Wednesday morning. Officers shot and killed the driver as he exited the vehicle brandishing an assault rifle.
“I am grateful for the brave and swift response of local law enforcement in preventing even greater death and injury,” Mr. Biden added. “I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind.”
“I will continue to receive updates throughout the day and will have more to say as we have more information to offer. In the meanwhile, my thoughts are with the victims and their families, who were merely attempting to celebrate the holiday,” the president said in the statement. “There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
Biden talked briefly on the attack as he left Delaware for Camp David, but declined to respond to specific inquiries from reporters about the suspect’s name.
“I’ve called all federal and state agencies. “They’re all working together to get to the facts,” he said.
The president stated that his initial reaction to learning about the violence was “one of anger and frustration” and that he will have “more to say in the next hour or so.”
President-elect Donald Trump also commented on the tragedy, calling it “pure evil.”
“Our hearts go out to all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump administration will fully support the City of New Orleans in its investigation and recovery from this act of pure evil!” Trump published a comment on his conservative social media network.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana native, too described the violence as “pure evil.”
“The vicious attack on innocent people celebrating the New Year in New Orleans early this morning was an act of pure evil, and justice must be swift for anyone who was involved,” Johnson wrote on the newspaper’s website. “Please join us in praying for the victims, their families, and the first responders and investigators on the scene.”
Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican, called the incident “tragic” but said the Sugar Bowl, an annual college football game held in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, should go on.
“The terrorists will win if we don’t enjoy our lives. We must live our lives. Otherwise, they win once more and cannot win again. “We’ve got to track them down, hunt them down, figure out who their supporters are, and bring them to justice,” Cassidy said on Fox News.
Democratic Rep. Troy Carter of Louisiana, whose congressional district includes New Orleans, said he had spoken with the White House and DHS Secretary Mayorkas about the attacks. Carter stated that his heart was with the victims and their families.
“As we continue to learn more about this tragedy, including the motive behind such senseless violence, I am committed to working with local and federal authorities to ensure justice for the victims and to strengthen measures that safeguard our communities against acts of terror,” Carter said in an email.
