A witness to the devastating New Year's attack on Bourbon Street, Jimmy Cothran, shared his chilling account of the tragedy and the emotional aftermath. The attack, which claimed the lives of at least fourteen people and injured dozens more, was carried out by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran motivated by ISIS, according to the FBI. Cothran spoke with 'The Story,' expressing the profound impact of witnessing the loss of so many lives. "These were innocent people, full of life, and now they're gone," he lamented.
Cothran described seeing the bodies of several victims, including 27-year-old mother Nicole Perez. He was deeply affected by the image of Perez with her 4-year-old son, contrasting it with the pain evident in her face in the aftermath of the attack. "She was alone there in the middle of the road," Cothran recalled somberly.
He also recounted seeing the body of 18-year-old Nikyra Dedeaux, whom he had observed enjoying herself moments before the attack. The contrast between her vibrant life and the horrific state of her body after being struck by the truck was particularly jarring. Cothran criticized the city's lack of protective barriers, suggesting that the truck would not have reached such a high speed if the barriers had been in place. He expressed his belief that the situation could have been handled better.
According to NOLA.com, barriers installed in 2017 were removed in November as part of an ongoing security infrastructure project. New bollards are currently being installed. In the wake of this tragedy, Cothran urged people to appreciate life and not let minor issues consume them. "When something this evil happens," he reflected, "you can't let small things control your life when that life might not be there tomorrow."
