New Orleans mass killing: Everything we know about the 'horrific incident'

A man drove into a huge gathering in New Orleans in the early hours of New Year's Day, killing ten people and injuring at least 35, officials have said.

Emergency services survey the scene after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans' Canal and Bourbon Street on New Year's Day.

Gerald Herbert/AP

This is all we know so far.

When did the incident happen?

On New Year's Day, around 0315, a man drove a pickup truck at great speed into a huge crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans' French Quarter.

Police described the incident as "very intentional," and stated that the perpetrator was "hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did."

"This man was attempting to run over as many people as possible," said New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick.

The driver opened fire on cops from his car, wounding two. Authorities said they are in stable condition.

In a subsequent update, the FBI verified the driver's death and said the event was being investigated as a "act of terrorism."

Who was injured?

Police said that ten people were killed and at least 35 were injured. None of them have been recognized yet.

The injured have been sent to several nearby hospitals for treatment.

Police said the victims looked to be mostly natives from New Orleans, Louisiana.

What do we know about the driver?

Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, has been identified as the person suspected of driving a vehicle through a throng on Bourbon Street, according to three federal authorities who talked with CBS News.

The FBI confirmed earlier today that the event is being investigated as an "act of terrorism" and that the suspect was dead following the attack.

Police said he shot at cops who arrived on the site.

The vehicle, a white Ford F-150 Lightning with a substantially damaged front, was discovered in front of Rick's Cabaret on Bourbon Street, at the Conti Street junction.

According to CBS, officials are examining if the car belonged to the suspect.

According to CBS, the suspect may not have owned the truck and might have stolen, rented, or borrowed it.

Investigators are looking into suspected explosive devices found at or near the area.

CBS reported that a long gun with a "suppressive device" on it, which acts as a silencer, was retrieved from the site.

According to CBS sources, the assailant was fatally shot by police.

Where did it happen?

Bourbon Street is a well-known nightlife and tourist destination, with several restaurants, pubs, and clubs featuring live music.

It is located in New Orleans' French Quarter, a vibrant neighborhood that draws both visitors and residents, particularly during the New Year's celebrations.

It was founded by the French in 1718, and the original grid of streets created at the time remains the focus of the city's tourism industry.

Every year, up to a million people attend the city's famed Mardi Gras carnival and parade in the spring, which is known for the colorful beads worn by partygoers.

The Sugar Bowl, involving the US college football teams of Notre Dame and the University of Georgia, is likely to go on as scheduled Wednesday night at the city's Caesars Superdome, according to CBS.

What was found at the scene?

Special agent Althea Duncan of the Federal Bureau of case (FBI) acknowledged during a morning press conference that the agency had taken over the case.

According to Ms Duncan, a suspected explosive device was discovered at the scene, and officials were investigating to determine whether it was "viable".

She emphasized that the public should avoid the area "until we can figure out what is going on".

Police warned the public to stay away from Bourbon Street between Canal and St Ann streets.

What did witnesses say?

A witness who was on Bourbon Street at the time of the event has now shared some horrible images.

Whit Davis of Shreveport, Louisiana, told the BBC: "We'd been on and around Bourbon Street since the beginning of the evening.

"When we were in the bar we didn't hear shooting or crashes because the music was so loud," Mr. Davis said.

Mr Davis and a group of others were detained by police in the pub, and when they were permitted to leave, he stated that they "were walking past dead and injured bodies all over the street".

Was the attack terrorism?

CBS reports that authorities are looking into whether the suspect was motivated by or affiliated with a foreign terrorist organization.

US Attorney General Merrick Garland said that the FBI is examining the event as a "act of terrorism."

The FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Justice Department's National Security Division, and the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana "will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and will deploy every available resource to conduct this investigation," he remarked.