NEW ORLEANS - A driver crashed his pickup truck into a crowd celebrating New Year’s Day in New Orleans’ French Quarter and opened fire, killing 15 people and injuring more than 35, in an early morning attack the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said was a potential act of terrorism.

The suspect, described by one city leader as being in “full military gear“, died after a shootout with police, law enforcement officials said.

“This man was trying to run over as many people as he could,“ Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said at a televised press conference on Jan 1. “He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”

The incident occurred at 3.15am (5.15pm in Singapore) at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets, a historic tourist destination in the city’s French Quarter known for attracting large crowds with its music and bars.

Ms Kirkpatrick said the driver, who swerved around barricades, fired at police and struck two police officers from the vehicle after it crashed. The officers were in stable condition, she added.

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