Owensboro native Drew Watson and his wife, Stacy, found themselves in the heart of New Orleans on New Year’s Eve, just feet away from a scene later cordoned off by police after an incident involving a suspected explosive device.
The couple was in town for college football’s Sugar Bowl featuring Georgia and Notre Dame, with the game coinciding with New Year’s Eve festivities. They described a chaotic but heavily policed atmosphere in the French Quarter just hours before a driver intentionally plowed a rented pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers on Bourbon Street, killing at least 10 people and injuring over 35, according to police reports.
Watson is a Notre Dame alumnus and avid Irish football fan. He recounted his experience near the corner of Canal and Bourbon streets, where he said crowds swelled to “anxiety-inducing” levels as midnight approached.
“We were right by that Kilwins ice cream store around 20 to midnight, taking a phone call,” Watson said. “The crowd was so thick, it was almost impossible to move.”
The couple returned to their hotel just before midnight, where they watched the city’s fireworks display from their window. Early the next morning, police activity outside their hotel alerted them to a serious situation unfolding nearby.
“My mother-in-law called before 7 a.m., and we could see all the cop cars from our window,” Watson said. “Later that morning, authorities discovered and safely detonated a second device in the area, and we could hear it.”
The driver, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, exited the vehicle and opened fire on responding officers, injuring two before being fatally shot by police, according to national reports. Authorities later discovered an ISIS flag in the truck, along with improvised explosive devices (IEDs) both in the vehicle and planted at nearby locations, the Associated Press reported.
Watson said he noticed several heightened security measures that evening, including a significant presence of state troopers and local officers. Despite barricades and other precautions, the suspect managed to breach the area.
Watson noted the surreal atmosphere in the aftermath.
“It’s a somber mood here,” he said. “People are reworking their travel plans, but at the same time, others are drinking and partying.”
The incident also impacted events for Notre Dame fans, as a planned tailgate and Mass with the university president were canceled due to security concerns. The Watsons, along with other fans, attended an alternative Mass at their hotel.
The Sugar Bowl game between Notre Dame and Georgia was postponed to Thursday, and the couple still plans to attend.
Despite the disruptions, Watson expressed gratitude that he and his wife avoided harm.
“We’re alive, and we’re safe,” he said.
Police are continuing to investigate the incident.
