The College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup between No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame was overshadowed by tragedy early Wednesday morning when an unidentified driver intentionally plowed a car into a large crowd of people celebrating the New Year on Bourbon Street, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than two dozen others, according to New Orleans officials.
The horrific attack, which the FBI is investigating as an act of terror, took place as thousands of college football fans headed to the historic city for Wednesday night’s matchup at the Caesars Superdome.
Allstate Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley released a statement Wednesday sharing his condolences for the victims. He added that organizers are continuing to work with authorities ahead of kickoff.
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“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this 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.”
Concerns about security ahead of the game have become a major concern. The Superdome, which is home to the New Orleans Saints, has a capacity of over 80,000.
During a press conference on Wednesday morning, Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick seemed to indicate that the game would go on as scheduled.
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“I will say that we want our community and our visitors to continue enjoying – there’s so much to enjoy about New Orleans. And we are going to make sure that our routes and the Superdome are safe today for the game.”
The New Orleans Police Department said in their latest statement that the driver killed at least 10 people and injured 35 others after intentionally plowing through a crowd of people in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day.
The suspect, who has not been identified, exchanged gunfire with law enforcement, striking two officers before being fatally struck.
The FBI said improvised explosive devices were found and that investigators are working to confirm whether the devices are viable.
Wednesday’s game is scheduled to kickoff at 8:45 p.m. ET.
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