The electric vehicle used by the suspected New Orleans terrorist to plow into a crowd of revelers celebrating the New Year on Bourbon Street has sparked a mystery after a hidden object was spotted on the back of the SUV.
Ten people were killed and 30 others injured after the white Ford SUV crashed into pedestrians who were talking on their phones in New Orleans’ French Quarter around 3:50 a.m. Wednesday.
Following the horrific tragedy, an image of what appears to be a flagpole on the back of the unknown driver’s truck circulated online, sparking massive speculation.
Photos taken after the collision show what appears to be a metallic gray jacket wrapped around a flagpole, but video taken earlier in the morning shows what appears to be a black flag dangling from the same ‘pole’.
It is unclear whether it was placed there before or after the horrific attack.
The unnamed gunman was killed during a shootout with officers after he exited his vehicle and began shooting, wounding two NOLA police officers who are in stable condition.
Authorities investigating the ‘mass casualty incident’ say the driver exhibited ‘highly deliberate behaviour’ after driving into crowds of people before they got out and fired a weapon.
Officials said an improvised explosive device was found in the area. Around 8:30 a.m. a ‘small explosion’ took place in the neighborhood. It was detonated by the bomb squad, WLWT’s Steven Albritton reported.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said she had spoken to the White House about what she described as a “terrorist attack.” The FBI has confirmed they are investigating the tragedy “as an act of terrorism.”
After an unknown man drove into a crowd of people around 3:50 a.m. Wednesday, a photo of what appeared to be a flagpole with a gray object resembling a jacket wrapped around it circulated online.
The object, believed to be a puffer jacket, was seen draped over the ‘pole’
Ten people were killed and 30 others were injured when the white Ford SUV plowed into pedestrians in New Orleans’ French Quarter in 2025.
Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the suspect was “determined to cause carnage.” No information has been released about his identity. Federal agents will now lead the investigation into the attack.
Witnesses claim the suspect was “wearing full body armor” and “armed with an assault rifle,” and officials said he was “trying to run over as many people as possible.”
Videos circulating on social media showed a chaotic scene in the tourist hotspot as people ran from the victim-strewn area as bullets rang out in the background.
Dozens of police officers responded to what authorities declared a “mass casualty event” and part of the road was cordoned off. Paramedics, ambulances and vehicles from the coroner’s office were also seen at the scene.
Ambulances transported the injured to five area hospitals, the city added, and the FBI has taken over the ongoing investigation.
Videos circulating on social media that appear to have been recorded at the scene show multiple victims on the ground as shots ring out in the background. People were also seen running from the area
A man, who claimed to have witnessed the incident while out with his wife, wrote on X that he saw the SUV speeding down the road and “running people over.”
Another alleged witness told WLWT she saw the vehicle hit the crowd and multiple officers open fire on the suspect. She says she started running and was only able to escape “by the grace of God.”
Kevin Garcia, 22, said the car “smashed into everyone on the left side of Bourbon’s sidewalk.” He heard gunshots and claimed “a body was flying towards me,” CNN reported.
Whit Davis, a 22-year-old witness from Shreveport, Louisiana, said he was at a nightclub when the attack occurred. He recalled how people “started running and hiding under tables” in a scene that resembled “an active shooter exercise.”
Police then detained him and a group of partygoers in the bar, Davis told the BBC, noting that when they were finally allowed to leave the establishment, they “walked past dead and injured bodies all over the street.”
At a news conference, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell described the incident as a “terrorist attack,” prompting the FBI to say shortly later that the bureau was not treating it as a terrorist attack.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said she had spoken to the White House about what she described as a “terrorist attack.” The FBI later said they were investigating the incident “as an act of terrorism.”
Officials said an improvised explosive device was found in the area. Around 8:30 a.m. a ‘small explosion’ took place in the neighborhood. It was detonated by the bomb squad
Bourbon Street, famous for its many bars and clubs, is reportedly closed while investigators work on the scene. People are advised to stay away from the area.
“The 8th Precinct is currently responding to a mass casualty incident involving a vehicle driving into a large crowd at Canal and Bourbon streets,” NOLA Ready, the city’s official emergency preparedness agency, said in a statement.
“There were 30 injured patients transported by NOEMS (New Orleans Emergency Medical Services) and 10 fatalities. Public safety partners are responding to the scene. Updates will follow as soon as they are received.’
The incident occurred near the end of New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans and hours before kickoff of the AllState Bowl, a college football quarterfinal at the city’s Caesars Superdome, where thousands were expected to attend.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has condemned the “heinous” attack and said he is “praying for all the victims and first responders on the scene.”
“Earlier this morning a horrific act of violence occurred on Bourbon Street,” Landry tweeted. ‘ Please join Sharon and me in praying for all the victims and first responders on the scene. I urge anyone in the area to avoid the area.”