The United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, has strongly condemned the truck attack in New Orleans that left at least 15 people dead and more than 30 injured.
The attack took place in the French Quarter early on Wednesday morning, when a 42-year-old U.S. male citizen intentionally drove a pick-up truck into a crowd celebrating the New Year.
The suspect was killed in a police shootout, which also resulted in two officers being injured. Authorities are investigating potential links between the attack and the Islamic State (ISIL) after a flag associated with the terrorist group and improvised explosives were found in the vehicle and nearby locations.
Guterres expressed his condolences to the victims’ families, as well as to the government and people of Louisiana and the United States. He also wished a swift recovery for the injured.
U.S. authorities are also looking into possible connections between the New Orleans attack and a deadly vehicle explosion that occurred in Las Vegas on New Year’s Day. A Tesla Cybertruck exploded near the Trump International Hotel, killing the driver and injuring seven others. Investigators are examining whether the two incidents are related and are reviewing surveillance footage that shows a suspicious group of four individuals.
As the investigation continues, questions remain about the perpetrator’s potential accomplices and whether explosive devices were placed in the affected neighborhoods.
