New Orleans parade crash
© RT
At least 28 people have been injured, 12 in "critical condition" after a truck crashed into a dense crowd of participants of the Endymion parade in New Orleans, police said. The car's driver has been arrested.

"Initial reports show so far about a dozen people are in critical condition," New Orleans police said in a statement.

A total of 21 victims have been promptly transported to nearby hospitals, while another seven people who suffered minor injuries declined hospitalization. Five people are currently being treated for injuries at trauma centers.

Four local college students are said to be among the injured, Spring Hill College's Facebook page reports.

The car apparently collided with another vehicle, then plowed into the crowd.

The incident occurred at 6:45pm local time at the junction of Orleans and North Carrollton avenues, WVUE reported.


One police officer has been "physically injured and affected" as result of the incident, the authorities said.

The female officer was struck by the vehicle and suffered "non-life threatening injuries," Michael S. Harrison, superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department, told a press conference.

There is no indication the incident was a planned attack, authorities said.

"At this time it appears that it's a subject who was overly intoxicated, who struck a number of vehicles, and it veered off, hitting a whole bunch of innocent people", Harrison said, dismissing the idea that the collision might have been intentional.

He noted that it looks like a case of drunk driving and New Orleans police say they have a suspect in custody. The investigation is ongoing.

Kourtney McKinnis, an eyewitness to the incident, told the Advocate that the driver appeared unable to comprehend his actions.

"He was just kind of out of it," she told the outlet.

The ages of the injured are ranging from 3-4 years old to about 40 years old, Harrison announced.

The investigation is ongoing.