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Sugar Bowl 2025 Postponed Until Thursday After Bourbon Street Attack in New Orleans

Joseph Zucker@@JosephZuckerX.com LogoFeatured Columnist IVJanuary 1, 2025

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 01: A sign for the Allstate Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame is seen outside the Louisiana Superdome after at least ten people were killed on Bourbon Street when a person allegedly drove into a crowd in the early morning hours of New Year's Day on January 1, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Dozens more were injured after a suspect in a rented pickup truck allegedly drove around barricades and through a crowd of New Year's revelers on Bourbon Street. The suspect then got out of the car, opened fire on police officers, and was subsequently killed by law enforcement. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
Chris Graythen/Getty Images

The Sugar Bowl has been postponed until 4 p.m. ET on Thursday in the wake of the New Year's Day attack that killed at least 15 people and injured more than 30 in New Orleans.

The driver of a truck ran into a crowd of people celebrating the new year in New Orleans' French Quarter early Wednesday morning.

ABC News Live @ABCNewsLive

BREAKING: The Sugar Bowl has been postponed following the deadly attack in New Orleans, where investigators are still combing the crime scene and working to secure the French Quarter. <br><br>ESPN's Laura Rutledge has the latest on the game which was set to kickoff tonight. <a href="https://t.co/lzE9gn4pxW">pic.twitter.com/lzE9gn4pxW</a>

New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick initially said the Sugar Bowl, which was scheduled to kick off at 8:45 p.m. ET at Caesars Superdome, was going ahead as planned. This year's edition is a quarterfinal matchup in the expanded College Football Playoff, with No. 2 seed Georgia facing off with No. 7 Notre Dame.

Kirkpatrick asserted the crash was no accident and instead an intentional act.

"It did involve a man driving a pickup truck down Bourbon Street at a very fast pace, and it was very intentional behavior," she said. "This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could."

In a statement Wednesday, the FBI said it and local authorities were investigating the situation "as an act of terrorism."

Sugar Bowl 2025 Postponed Until Thursday After Bourbon Street Attack in New Orleans
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The Bureau identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar as the driver. He was shot and killed after exiting the truck at the scene and exchanging gunfire with police. The FBI said "weapons and a potential IED" were discovered in the truck and that "other potential IEDs" were found in the French Quarter.

Georgia and Notre Dame addressed the attack and offered condolences to the victims and their families.

"We are horrified and saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred in the early hours of New Year's Day in New Orleans," the University of Georgia said. "University personnel are working to determine if any UGA students, faculty, staff, alumni or fans were among the victims. We offer our deepest condolences to all the victims and their families, and we stand in solidarity with the New Orleans community.

Rev. Robert A. Dowd, Notre Dame's president, said that "our prayers are with the family members and loved ones of all those impacted by the terrible attack in New Orleans early this morning."

"We also pray for all those injured and extend our deepest gratitude to the brave first responders who risked their lives to protect others. To be in solidarity with those who suffer is to exemplify the spirit of Notre Dame. Today, we are in solidarity with all those impacted by this tragedy."

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