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Home News Families of New Orleans Attack Victims Sue City Officials and Contractors

Families of New Orleans Attack Victims Sue City Officials and Contractors

by Celia

A group of victims of the New Orleans New Year’s Day terror attack have filed a lawsuit against city officials and contractors, alleging that the deadly truck ramming incident was “preventable.” The attack killed 14 people and injured dozens more.

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The 21 plaintiffs include residents of Louisiana and visitors from other states. Antoinette Klima, the lead plaintiff, shared a 12-year-old son with Reggie Hunter, who was killed in the attack. Klima described the pain of losing Hunter and having to break the news to their son.

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“I’ve survived Hurricane Katrina and lost loved ones before, but nothing compares to the pain of losing Reggie,” Klima said.

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The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday in Orleans Parish Civil District Court. It echoes the allegations of another lawsuit filed earlier this month by six victims and the father of a man killed in the attack. Both lawsuits name the city and two contractors as defendants, claiming that officials were repeatedly warned about the vulnerability of Bourbon Street to a vehicle-ramming attack.

In April 2024, a contractor presented a scenario showing an F-150 pickup truck turning onto Bourbon Street and hitting pedestrians. This is exactly what happened on New Year’s Day when attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove into a crowd. Police fatally shot Jabbar at the scene.

The lawsuits highlight that the city was replacing a faulty bollard system, which is designed to block vehicle traffic, in the run-up to the Super Bowl. The timing of the replacement left Bourbon Street exposed during the New Year’s and Sugar Bowl events.

“The city of New Orleans recklessly mismanaged the bollard replacement project, leaving New Year’s night badly exposed,” said Michael Cerasa, a partner at the law firm Romanucci & Blandin.

The lawsuit also names the New Orleans Police Department and the French Quarter Management District as defendants. It claims that the police department failed to follow its own security measures by using a police cruiser as a makeshift barrier instead of a larger truck. The attacker was able to drive around the smaller police car.

The lawsuit states that the city contractor, Mott MacDonald, implemented poorly designed security barriers that broke down and required replacement. The general contractor, Hard Rock Construction, is criticized for attempting the bollard replacement during one of the busiest nights of the year.

Hard Rock Construction did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The city and other defendants declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

The lawsuit describes the victims’ struggle to escape and their ongoing trauma. Daniel Ortega, a plaintiff from Alabama, said he now suffers from nightmares and avoids crowded public spaces.

“I have been experiencing a lot of nightmares that have caused me to go endless nights without sleep and continue to prevent me from attending public places during busy hours,” Ortega said in a written statement.

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