NEW ORLEANS — The Sugar Bowl’s status remains unclear Wednesday afternoon after a man killed at least 10 people by speeding his pickup truck into a Bourbon Street crowd early New Year’s Day.
After exiting police headquarters across the street from the Caesars Superdome, a local congressman — U.S. Rep. Troy Carter — said he didn’t know whether the game, scheduled for 7:45 p.m. CT, will be played.
“This football game is important,” Carter told reporters late Wednesday morning. “It’s a major event. People have come from all over the country, but nothing is more important than public safety and making sure that we’re protecting the citizens and visitors alike. Until that’s ascertained that we can deliver that, it remains unknown.”
Authorities have scheduled a news conference for 1 p.m. CT. Officials said earlier Wednesday that they were working to ensure the stadium is safe after the crash, which also injured more than 30 people.
The crash happened around 3:15 a.m. CT about a mile from the Superdome, which is set to host the College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup between Georgia and Notre Dame. The team hotels for the Bulldogs and Fighting Irish were within walking distance of the incident.
In a morning briefing with reporters, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said authorities were “going to make sure that our routes and the Superdome are safe today for the game.”
“We do want you to go about the day,” Kirkpatrick said. “Just stay away from Bourbon (Street).”
Kirkpatrick said most of the 30-plus injured people appeared to be locals, not visitors in town for the game or other New Year’s festivities. Georgia president Jere W. Morehead said in a statement that a UGA student was critically injured in the attack and was receiving medical treatment. Morehead said he has spoken to the student’s family.
“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning,” Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said in a statement Wednesday morning. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available.”
GO FURTHER
Sugar Bowl postponed after man drives truck into New Orleans crowd, killing 10
