Louisiana chief proposes further Sugar Bowl delay after devastating New Orleans terror attack
Louisiana’s attorney general has called for the Sugar Bowl to be postponed for at least one more day following the devastating terror attack in New Orleans.
The College Football Playoff quarterfinal between No. 2 Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame, initially scheduled for 8:45 p.m. ET on New Year’s Day, has been postponed to 4 p.m. Thursday in the wake of the attack early Wednesday morning.
An FBI investigation is underway after driver Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, drove a truck into a large crowd celebrating the New Year on New Orleans’ famed Bourbon Street, killing 15 people and injuring 35.
While authorities continue to conduct security checks and the city is now on high alert, officials postponed the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome for 24 hours as the attack was about ten blocks away from the stadium.
But Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said that delay wasn’t long enough.
“Not my decision, but I would like to see it postponed another day,” Murrill told NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt on Wednesday. “If they asked my opinion, I would say so.”
Louisiana’s attorney general has called for the Sugar Bowl to be postponed another day
The quarterfinal between Georgia and Notre Dame was postponed until Thursday at 4:00 PM ET
ESPN’s Laura Rutledge reported earlier in the day that the Georgian football team was in hiding after the attacks. In separate statements, both the Bulldogs and Notre Dame Fighting Irish football said all their personnel have been accounted for.
During a news conference, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said the Superdome and surrounding area are “safe.”
That came after initial reports from New Orleans police indicated the game would go ahead as planned.
Police said they would monitor the area to ensure the game was played safely, while Sugar Bowl officials indicated they were in contact with authorities.
“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events that occurred early this morning,” Jeff Hundley, CEO of the Sugar Bowl Committee, said in a statement earlier Wednesday.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities at the local, state and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available.”
Among the 15 fatalities was ex-college football player Tiger Bech, a former wide receiver for Princeton University.
New Orleans is rocked after a terrorist drove a vehicle into a large crowd, killing 15 people
After being struck by the vehicle, Bech was rushed to a local hospital before being kept on a life support machine until his family could arrive. Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School, told KLFY. He died later on Wednesday morning.
Tributes have poured in for the 28-year-old, including from his younger brother Jack – a remarkably wide reception for Texas Christian University.
Jack, 22, quoted a post on You inspired me every day, now you can be with me every moment.
“I have this family T, don’t worry. This is for us’.