A New Year's reveler shared a chilling description of the "twisted" and "horribly disfigured" bodies he saw lying on New Orleans' Bourbon Street after a terrorist drove his truck into the crowd. Jimmy Cothran, who took refuge in a nightclub as the chaos unfolded, told NBC News that he counted eight bodies on the street in the aftermath.
Officials have now confirmed that the FBI is treating the New Year's attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans as an "act of terrorism." The suspect was shot dead by police after ramming the vehicle into pedestrians celebrating the New Year, stepping out, and opening fire, authorities said following the attack.
Gory Scene after Attack
"Dead right in front of us was someone's mother, twisted, obviously deceased. One man, deceased, had tire tracks across his back and when someone turned him over he had tire tracks across his stomach and was clearly crushed," Cothran said.
"A little girl that we had seen dancing as we were walking up the street was as flat as a pillow," he continued.
"It just kept going. Every eye shot -- body, body, body, body. It was unbelievable."
Another eyewitness, Kevin Garcia, described the scene as "bloodbath" after the attack.
Garcia, 22, who was at the scene when the truck struck told CNN. "A body came flying at me," he recounted, adding that he also heard gunshots shortly after the crash.
Photos reveal that the white truck used to ram into New Year's Eve crowds in New Orleans appears to have Texas license plates.
The suspect, police said, was "hell bent" on "carnage" was fatally shot by officers, according to multiple local reports citing law enforcement sources.
Witnesses reported that the suspect was "wearing full body armor" and "armed with an assault rifle," with officials confirming that he was intent on "running over as many people as he possibly could."
Videos shared on social media captured the chaos at the popular tourist spot, showing people fleeing from the area littered with casualties as gunfire echoed in the background.
The injured have been transported to five nearby hospitals, according to city officials, and the FBI has taken charge of the ongoing investigation.
The mass casualty event occurred around 3:15 a.m. at the intersection of Bourbon and Canal Streets in the French Quarter, near where crowds had gathered for New Year's Eve fireworks, according to police.
Killer Dead
A male driver intentionally drove through barricades and sped down the street, killing 10 people and sending at least 35 others to the hospital, New Orleans Police Chief Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick reported.
The suspect then jumped out the vehicle and began firing at police officers, injuring at least two, according to officials. Officers returned fire, and explosives were later found at the scene.
Police have not revealed any potential motive for the attack.
The severity of the injuries sustained by those hospitalized was not immediately clear.
Unverified videos circulating on social media appeared to show numerous bloodied bodies lying in the street while gunfire echoed in the background.
In the aftermath, multiple EMS and coroner vehicles were seen at the scene.
Officials confirmed that the injured were transported to five nearby hospitals, including University Medical Center, Touro Hospital, and East Jefferson General Hospital.
"A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning," Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement.
"Please join Sharon and I in praying for all the victims and first responders on scene. I urge all near the scene to avoid the area."
