One eyewitness told CNN he had seen a truck “slamming into everyone” on the pavement, adding that gunshots were also heard.
Another person told the US news outlet that people were “yelling and screaming” and running to the back of a nightclub that she was in. She added that the club went into “lockdown”.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called the incident “a horrific act of violence” and urged people to avoid the area.
New Orleans is one of the most heavily visited destinations in the United States and the incident came shortly before the city hosts a major football game, known as the Sugar Bowl, featuring teams from the University of Georgia and Notre Dame.
Policing was heavy over the New Year’s, according to the city, as authorities braced for the crowds.
The city police department had announced staffing at “100 per cent, with an additional 300 officers assisting from partner law enforcement agencies”, including on horseback and using unmarked units.
In November 2024, two people were killed and 10 others injured in two separate shootings along a New Orleans parade route and celebration attended by thousands, local media reported.
In February 2017, a pickup truck driven by a man who police said appeared to be highly intoxicated ploughed into a crowd of spectators watching the main Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans, injuring more than 20 people.
