(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
President-elect Donald Trump blasted the New Orleans attack that occurred early Wednesday morning as “pure evil” and blamed “criminals coming in” to the country in a statement that also slammed Democrats and the “Fake News Media.”
Local officials in New Orleans say a man killed at least 20 and injured more than 30 after he intentionally drove a pickup truck through crowds Bourbon Street at approximately 4:15 a.m. ET, following New Year’s Eve celebrations.
Two officers who responded to the incident were shot but are in stable condition, the department said. Officials confirmed that the suspect was shot and killed after he got out of his truck with an assault rifle.
Fox News reported, according to law enforcement sources, the suspect’s truck came through the border city of Eagle Pass, TX — though the suspect’s citizenship status remains unconfirmed.
Moments after Fox’s reporting, Trump — in a statement on Truth Social — blamed the attack on “criminals coming in” to the United States:
When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!
FBI Special Agent-in-charge Alethea Duncan said that at least one improvised explosive device was found at the scene and that the agency was investigating.
