DENVER — "Cops everywhere, lights everywhere, and people were screaming."
That was the scene one former Denver7 photojournalist recalls witnessing after a man drove a white pickup truck into one of the busiest parts of the country, the French Quarter in New Orleans, during New Year's Eve celebrations.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, has been named as the suspect in what law enforcement is deeming a terrorist attack, killing at least 10 people and sending dozens more to nearby hospitals.
Franz Barraza recently left Denver7, moving to New Orleans with his wife about three months ago.
He and his wife were heading home just after 3 a.m. Wednesday when chaos erupted. He says the two were escorted into a nearby club for safety.
"Some people were crying. I saw blood, and it's just ... not what you imagine to start 2025," said Barraza.
"As soon as we walked out, I saw at least five bodies lying on the floor. It was scary. It was. It was pretty shocking," he said.
City officials and the FBI hosted a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
"If this can happen in New Orleans, it can happen anywhere," reminded Louisiana Congressman Troy Carter.
Denver Police Chief Ron Thomas reacted to the devastating attack, speaking with Chief Investigative Reporter Tony Kovaleski.
"Certainly, everyone's aware of what happened. Everyone is going to be on a heightened sense of vigilance, and we will make sure everyone is safe during those events," said Chief Thomas.
Denver will host several major sporting events over the next few days, including the Nuggets, Avalanche, and Broncos between Wednesday and Sunday evenings.
"We continue to pay attention to intelligence and after-action reports for things that have happened across the country, across the world, really. And we're responsive to those kinds of things, looking for vulnerabilities that we may not have noticed before," said Chief Thomas.
Back in Louisiana, many are still coming to terms with the shocking reality of what unfolded during the first few hours of the new year.
"After doing this, working for the news for years, sometimes you become numb in situations like this, and it is just starting to hit me," said Barraza.
