NEW ORLEANS, La. — Survivors of the terror attack on Bourbon St. are describing their escape after a man drove a pickup truck into the crowd of New Year’s Eve revelers, killing 14 others and injuring dozens.
Chad Johnson told Channel 2’s Courtney Francisco that he was working security when he saw the truck come barreling down the street early Wednesday morning.
“It was an act of the devil, you know? And New Orleans is a God-fearing place,” Johnson said. “Before those victims, I feel like it should have been me.”
Johnson said he pushed people into the building where he works.
“There was gunshots. We didn’t know where they was coming from,” Johnson said.
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The FBI said those gunshots were between the driver, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, and police. Two officers were shot and survived. Jabbar died from his injuries.
“It was shock. Everybody is like, ‘I can’t believe it is really a terrorist attack,’” Domonique Sanders said.
Johnson walked outside and realized the truck killed 14 people and hurt 35.
“It was families crying, families crying, and it was nothing we could do, or they could do,” Johnson said.
Workers were back to work on Friday. Many of them spent a lot of time outside drawing in customers to their businesses.
They told Francisco that the attack changed them. It made them more aware of their surroundings and the value of life.
They said they’re battling flashbacks and survivor’s guilt at the same time.
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