Louisiana's top lawyer weighs in on Sugar Bowl and New Year's Eve amid growing concerns that New Orleans authorities could have done more to prevent the deadly Bourbon Street attack that killed 14 The plan is to begin a complete review of the security plan implemented in 2017. Dozens more people were injured, according to reports.
NOLA.com reports that Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill announced Monday a complete review, noting that New Orleans Police Superintendent Ann Kirkpatrick has pledged full support and cooperation. He said he plans to make an official announcement.
In the early morning hours of January 1, New Orleans locals and tourists watched as a temporary barrier was installed to prevent cars from entering Bourbon Street, where Shamsud Din Jabbar drove his truck through New Year's crowds. , wondering why it was installed instead of installed. , vehicles will be allowed to pass.
Temporary metal fencing was installed on Bourbon Street and other areas of the French Quarter in mid-November as the city worked to remove old bollards and replace them with stainless steel bollards. The work was expected to last until January.
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Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill speaks to the media during a press conference on January 1, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill)
As part of a $2.3 billion infrastructure project that began in 2017, New Orleans' official recommendations for security measures in the French Quarter include new bollards on Bourbon Street to prevent mass casualty incidents identified by the FBI as a potential threat. It included setting up. Popular tourist destination.
Safety recommendations for the area included street cameras, a central command center, better lighting and high-quality bollards, which the U.S. government also uses near official buildings.
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Tourists pass through a temporary fence at Orleans and Bourbon Streets on Thursday, January 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Bill Daly, a former FBI official and security and emergency management advisor, told Fox News Digital that the “Achilles heel” of the January 1 tragedy was that the temporary measures taken on New Year's Eve did not provide the same level of protection as before. He said that it was because he was unable to provide such services. Previously intended, designed and envisioned in the 2017 report.
“Temporary barricades are widely used, for example, by the New York City Police Department in Times Square to close off all side streets leading into Times Square,” Daley said.
He explained that in New York City, authorities are placing cement blocks on sidewalks and in the middle of roads as temporary barricades, and are also using vehicles such as garbage trucks and dump trucks to block roads.
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The barricade on Bourbon Street (right) was restored on January 2nd, the day after the attack, and the barricade on another street in the French Quarter (left) appears to have gone down on January 2nd. (Kat Ramirez, Fox News Digital)
In addition to Murrill's investigation, some city councilors said they would conduct their own investigations into the security measures in place on the morning of the attack.
Murrill told NOLA.com that he has spoken with City Councilmember Helena Moreno, District Attorney Jason Williams and other officials, and plans to discuss plans for a security overhaul with other officials. He added.
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“Everyone needs to know the whole story of what was done, what wasn't done, and importantly, what needs to change to ensure something like this never happens again. “We are committed to understanding the statue,” she said.
Murrill's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment on this story.
Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin, Garrett Tenney and Ashley Papa contributed to this report.
