At least 15 were killed after an individual drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans early Wednesday according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the posts meant to keep vehicles from driving onto Bourbon Street were not in place at the time of the attack because they were being replaced.
In Palm Springs, Palm Springs Police Chief Andy Mills said security bollards are a vital part of the department’s strategy to protect large gatherings like the popular weekly VillageFest.
“Trying to keep a crowd safe, whether it’s VillageFest or any other event is critically important,” Mills said. “We do everything we can do to try to get in the way, make it a hard escape so that people can’t get to where people are vulnerable, which is in a crowded situation.”
He said these heavy-duty barriers block vehicle access against potential threats.
“There’s a variety of different types of bollards,” Mills said. “We can use K-rails for instance, big cement blocks that block vehicles. You can also use water infused bollards. Oftentimes we use vehicles to try to block roadways.”
He said when it comes to public safety, proactive measures are key, but there are no guarantees.
“We just have to do the best we can to get in the way of them and hopefully we can prevent it rather than respond to it,” Mills said.
Stay with News Channel 3 for the latest details on the ongoing investigation in New Orleans.
