Former Mayor of New Orleans Marc Morial has called for greater security surrounding College Football Playoff games in the wake of a ‘terrorist’ attack in the city on New Year’s Eve. 

A Ford SUV was plowed into a crowd of people celebrating the New Year on Bourbon Street at around 3:50am on Wednesday morning, killing 10 and injuring a further 35.

The horrific tragedy occurred less than a mile from Caesars Superdome where today’s Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame is slated to take place at 8:45pm ET. 

The stadium, home of the New Orleans Saints, is also set to provide the stage for the NFL’s season finale, the Super Bowl, in just over a month’s time. 

Despite fears that the game could be postponed given the close proximity to the attack, police commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick indicated Wednesday morning that it will go ahead as planned. 

However, despite intentions to proceed with the bowl game, Morial, who was mayor of the city in 2001 as New Orleans prepared to host Super Bowl XXXVI in February 2002, claimed the heinous attack backs his call to elevate the security designation of College Football Playoff games. 

Former Mayor of New Orleans Marc Morial has called for greater security surrounding college playoff games following the horrific ‘terrorist’ attack in the city on New Year’s Eve

At least 10 people died after a driver rammed into the large group at high speed in New Orleans

‘I think it means that these bowl games and college football games may need to be given a national homeland security designation, like the Super Bowl,’ Morial, 66, told ABC. ‘These bowl games are in the college playoffs. It’s a global event with the eyes of the world on New Orleans for the college football game tonight.’ 

Morial explained that the national homeland security designation triggers law enforcement from around the country to be temporarily stationed in a host city and work with the local police departments to ‘harden, strengthen and expand’ security, which he stated has been standard operating procedure for Super Bowls. 

Despite the Sugar Bowl’s – and other college playoff games’ – current lack of heightened security designation, Morial insisted that tonight’s matchup must go ahead.   

‘You must go forward with the Sugar Bowl,’ he said, ‘because the first thing people who commit acts of terror want to do is intimidate people and bring about fear. We have to be strong and resolute. The adjustments to security have to be made and can be made.’ 

Thousands of Notre Dame and Georgia fans had arrived in New Orleans for a night of festivities ahead of the start of the College Football Playoffs, and the historic New Year’s Day Sugar Bowl in the city.

But joy turned to terror in the French Quarter in the early hours of the morning as the incident unfolded, despite police presence being at ‘100% capacity’.

The police department had also claimed that on top of a full capacity team, they had drafted in an additional 300 officers from partner agencies to deal with the New Year’s Eve and Sugar Bowl festivities.

The driver rammed into the large group at high speed, then got out and started firing a weapon, witnesses said.  

The Sugar Bowl game, just a short walk from Bourbon Street, is slated to take place Wednesday

Morial, pictured speaking at a 2005 press conference for a Telethon on the BET Network for victims of Hurricane Katrina, served as Mayor of New Orleans from 1994 to 2002

‘I’m sickened by the entire incident I’m in great pain by the families of those who lost people,’ said Morial, who served as the city’s mayor from 1994 to 2002. 

Speaking to the media, Commissioner Kirkpatrick said officers will work to ensure safety at the Sugar Bowl, and it is anticipated that security will be heightened as 83,000 fans descend on the Superdome.

‘He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,’ Kirkpatrick said. ‘It was very intentional behavior. This man was trying to run over as many people as he could.’

The unnamed gunman was killed in a shootout with officers after he exited his vehicle and started shooting, injuring two NOLA police officers who are in stable condition.

Authorities investigating the ‘mᴀss casualty incident’ say the driver showed ‘very intentional behavior’ after driving into crowds before they got out and fired a weapon.

The FBI has formally confirmed they are investigating the tragedy ‘as an act of terrorism’ after New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell said she had spoken to the White House about what she described as a ‘terrorist attack’.

The truck used to kill 10 in the mᴀssacre came into the US from Mexico through Eagle Pᴀss, Texas, two days ago, Fox News reported. 

Dozens of police officers responded to what authorities declared a ‘mᴀss casualty event’

Officials said an improvised explosive device was found in the area. Around 8.30am a ‘small explosion’ went off in the quarter. It was detonated by the bomb squad, WLWT’s Steven Albritton reported.

Witnesses claim the suspect was ‘wearing full body armor’ and ‘armed with an ᴀssault rifle’, and officials said he was ‘trying to run over as many people as he possibly could’.

Videos circulating on social media showed a chaotic scene at the tourist H๏τspot as people ran from the casualty-strewn area while bullets rang out in the background.

Dozens of police officers responded to what authorities declared a ‘mᴀss casualty event’ and a portion of the road was cordoned off. Paramedics, ambulances and vehicles from the coroner’s office were also seen at the scene.