On January 1st, 2025 at approximately 3:15 am, a terrorist by the name Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove his rented electric Ford F-150 around vehicle barriers onto the sidewalk killing 14 and injuring 35 people in an tragic terrorist attack.
In lieu of this terrorist attack, the Georgia vs Notre Dame Sugar Bowl game has been postponed until this afternoon. The game is being hosted at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
This comes on the heels of a recent vehicle ramming attack at a Christmas Market in Germany where 5 people lost their lives.
Vehicle attacks like this are becoming all too common across the globe and now on American soil. In one of our recent articles, "Are Vehicle Attacks Increasing In The US? Time To Look At Hostile Vehicle Mitigation" we covered the increase in vehicle attacks happening within our borders and what law enforcement, public works, and security authorities responsible for public safety during special events need to do to prepare for possible vehicle attacks.
The short answer is, of course, yes. It was reported in a recent article from the AP News that the driver drove his vehicle around a police vehicle positioned to stop vehicle traffic and protect pedestrians on Bourbon Street and onto the sidewalk. The vehicle barrier system designed to prevent vehicle attacks is currently undergoing repairs in preparation for the Super Bowl in February.
This goes to show that terrorist will find a way to cause carnage when we let our guard down. During busy times like these where cities are closing down streets for special events, it is critical for law enforcement to be prepared for anything. Do not become a soft target.
Considering that the current vehicle barrier systems are undergoing repairs, a temporary and mobile vehicle barrier solution could have been deployed to mitigate any potential threats. A mobile vehicle barrier system is one that can be easily moved by one or two security personnel in order to rapidly close down any street or sidewalk in order to prevent possible vehicle attacks.
These vehicle barrier systems should be crash tested and certified and deployed by the same standards the crash test(s) were conducted.
During the planning phase of a special event that would require street closures, security authorities should consider every possible route a would be terrorist could and would take to cause carnage. This includes sidewalks.
Most often, we see street closures happening in downtown areas were it would be difficult for a vehicle to accelerate at high speeds. But that doesn't mean that attacks can't happen at low speeds. Deploy vehicle barrier systems, like the Pitagone F18 Mobile Vehicle Barrier, that can stop vehicles at low or high speeds.
Give enough stand off distance from the vehicle barriers to where pedestrians or revelers might be gathering or passing by. If you plan on having pedestrian throughput, you will need to deploy an ADA solutions that allows them to pass through but wouldn't allow vehicles through. A great solution to that would be the ARX STOPPER!.
The vehicle terrorist attack in New Orleans is a tragic event and our hearts go out to the families, friends, and communities that have been impacted. Vehicle attacks can be mitigated with special equipment designed for special events. ARX Perimeters specializes in providing crash tested and certified vehicle barrier solutions for these specific situations.
If you are law enforcement, public works, or anyone responsible for the safety of people attending your events, it's time to take a look at investing in vehicle barriers. Not only will they stop a vehicle if an incident occurs but will also be a visual deterrent for a would be attacker.
Our team is standing by and ready to assist those in need, so reach out to us at info@arxperimeters.com or contact us by submitting the form here.