NEW ORLEANS (Texas, US), Jan 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Fans from two US universities filled a stadium in New Orleans for a highly anticipated American football game as the city reels from a New Year’s Day attack.
The annual Sugar Bowl, which was scheduled to take place Wednesday, was postponed to Thursday at 15:00 local time after a Texas man drove through a crowded New Orleans street, killing 14 people.
People gathered in the stadium partook in a moment of silence to remember the victims of Wednesday’s attack.
The game brought thousands of fans to the city to see the University of Notre Dame take on the University of Georgia at the 70,000-seat Caesars Superdome.
Notre Dame’s “Fighting Irish” ultimately emerged the winner, beating the Georgia Bulldogs 23-10.
Ahead of the game’s start, Bourbon Street – where the attack took place on Wednesday – reopened to the public for the first time since the deadly event.
Yellow barriers, designed to prevent cars from driving onto the pavement, lined both sides of the street.
Fourteen flowers were laid against a wall at the spot where the attacker first drove into a crowd.
Many who trickled in had come to have a few drinks before heading over to the stadium for the game, with almost everyone wearing red for Georgia, and green or blue and gold for Notre Dame.
A New Orleans man who was discharged from the hospital on Thursday afternoon after being caught up in the attack, headed straight back to Bourbon Street dressed in the same clothes he was wearing on Jan 1.
Speaking to the BBC, Jovon Miguel Bell lifted his shirt to show cuts and bruises across his torso, which he said were the result of getting trampled.
“I’m blessed, to be honest. God is good,” he said. “Blessings to the victims and their families.”
Ahead of the game, state authorities assured the public that the city had taken additional safety precautions.
Jefferson County Sheriff Joseph Lopinto told reporters Thursday the college football match would be secure for fans who have come to the city.
“It’s probably going to be one of the safest places in the country,” Lopinto said. “If my kid wanted to come to the game, I’d have no problem.”
As the sun set over Bourbon Street on Thursday, many locals said they were confident that the vibrant area would bounce back quickly after the attack.
Just after 3:00 local time on Jan 1 officials say 42-year-old army veteran, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, killed 14 people and wounded dozens more when he drove a pick-up truck into crowds for the New Years holiday.
Before Jabbar was killed in a shoot-out with police during the attack, he had proclaimed his allegiance to the Daesh group in videos uploaded to social media, according to the FBI.
The Sugar Bowl is watched by millions of Americans every year, traditionally on New Year’s Day.
The game, along with the Los Angeles Rose Bowl, is a big tourist draw for the city.
The Sugar Bowl dates back to 1935, playing host to many of the best coaches, players and teams in college football history.
The Super Bowl, America’s biggest sporting event, is scheduled for Feb 9 at the same New Orleans venue as the Sugar Bowl. — NNN-AGENCIES
