A memorial of flowers on Bourbon Street after it reopened to the public on January 2, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana, following a terrorist attack on January 1. At least 14 people were killed and dozens injured when a truck plowed into a New Year’s Eve crowd in the heart of the tourist district.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
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ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
A memorial of flowers on Bourbon Street after it reopened to the public on January 2, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana, following a terrorist attack on January 1. At least 14 people were killed and dozens injured when a truck plowed into a New Year’s Eve crowd in the heart of the tourist district.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images
New Orleans spent New Year’s Day reeling from the news that, overnight, a driver plowed a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street, killing at least 14 and injuring dozens more.
Officials often point out that spreading fear is a primary goal of terrorist attacks like this. But when a truck is the weapon of choice, is it possible to prevent such an attack?
NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly speaks to David Brannan, a counterterrorism expert at the Naval Postgraduate School, and NPR national correspondent Jennifer Ludden on the latest from New Orleans.
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