Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Six survivors and the father of a man killed in a New Year’s truck attack filed a lawsuit Thursday against the city of New Orleans and two contractors.The suit alleges negligence in failing to protect crowds from an Army veteran who bypassed a police blockade and drove down Bourbon Street, resulting in 14 deaths and injuries to at least 30 others.Why It MattersThe FBI is investigating the incident that occurred on Bourbon Street during New Year’s celebrations as an act of terrorism. A key line of inquiry is whether the attack was orchestrated or inspired by a foreign terrorist group. The suspect in the attack has been identified by the FBI as Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar.What To KnowThe lawsuit, filed in Orleans Parish Civil District Court by attorney Matthew Hemmer of the Morris Bart Law Firm, describes the attack by Jabbar as both tragic and preventable. It alleges the incident left six victims with broken bones, severe physical pain and emotional trauma, while claiming the life of Brandon Taylor. Jabbar was fatally shot during a confrontation with police.The plaintiffs, seeking unspecified damages, include Alexis Windham, who sustained both gunshot and impact injuries to her foot, and Corian Evans, Jalen Lilly, Justin Brown, Shara Frison and Gregory Townsend, who suffered broken bones and other injuries. Brandon Taylor’s father, Joseph Taylor, is also among those filing the lawsuit. Windham, Evans, Lilly and Brown are from Alabama, while Frison and Townsend hail from Missouri.
Police walking down Bourbon Street past reporters on January 2, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the day after an attack by a man driving a truck down Bourbon street in the French Quarter. On Thursday,…
Police walking down Bourbon Street past reporters on January 2, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana, the day after an attack by a man driving a truck down Bourbon street in the French Quarter. On Thursday, victims of the New Orleans terror attack filed a lawsuit against the city and contractors.
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Taylor, 43, was a restaurant cook in the New Orleans area. He is survived by his fiancée, who was with him at the time of his death, and his father.Requests for comment from The Associated Press about the lawsuit sent via email and phone to the city of New Orleans, Mayor LaToya Cantrell and contractors Mott MacDonald and Hard Rock Construction were not immediately returned.Vehicular AttacksThe lawsuit highlights a rise in vehicle-ramming attacks since 2016 when a Bastille Day assault in Nice, France, claimed 86 lives. In response to the growing threat, New Orleans consulted experts on such risks in the French Quarter and allocated $40 million toward public safety upgrades. These efforts included acquiring portable bollards—barriers designed to block vehicle access—to secure Bourbon Street from potential attacks.According to the lawsuit, the bollards on Bourbon Street frequently malfunctioned with their tracks becoming clogged by beads, drink containers, rainwater and other debris. A 2019 report by New York-based security firm Interfor International warned that the French Quarter was vulnerable to vehicular attacks, stating that “the current bollard system on Bourbon Street does not appear to work” and urging immediate repairs.An April 2024 report by Mott MacDonald, a design firm contracted for roadway projects, accounted for the possibility of a Ford F-150 truck turning onto Bourbon Street—exactly what occurred on New Year’s Day. However, the lawsuit claims the company’s bollard replacement project failed to include fixed barriers in the French Quarter.What People Are SayingThe lawsuit said: “Appropriate barriers, temporary or otherwise, were not erected in the construction site.”As a result, the intersection had the appearance of a soft target. Upon initial penetration, Mr. Jabbar was able to travel approximately three blocks down Bourbon Street.”Earlier this month, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry spoke about the incident and said: New Orleans is “one of safest places on Earth.”A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson previously told Newsweek in an email: “We remain in a heightened threat environment, and DHS continues to work closely with our law enforcement partners to evaluate threats, and share the latest information so that together, we can protect our homeland. We urge the public to promptly report any suspicious activity to local authorities and remain vigilant of potential copycat or retaliatory attacks inspired by the New Orleans terrorist attack or other recent, vehicle-ramming incidents across the globe.”What’s NextTwo additional law firms revealed Wednesday that they are representing nearly two dozen victims of the attack and are launching their own investigation. In a statement, they asserted that “officials were tragically aware and did not protect the public.”This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
