The Sugar Bowl, which was set for Wednesday night at the Superdome in New Orleans, has been postponed until Thursday following the deadly terror attack on the city’s famed Bourbon Street which left at least 10 people dead and dozens others injured.
ESPN’s Laura Rutledge said that, according to the coach of the Georgia Bulldogs, the college team is “sheltering in place” in their hotel as police continued to search the French Quarter.
The game will see Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish taking on the University of Georgia team.
Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said at a news conference on Wednesday that the game will now take place at Thursday at 8:45 p.m. ET.
“We wish we weren’t here for this reason today,” Hundley said during the news conference. “The Sugar Bowl committee has a 90-year history of being a good corporate citizen for the city of New Orleans and that’s why this tragedy hurts us as much as anybody. Our condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families as we all work through this.”
Hundley said that the decision to postpone “in the best interest of everyone” was agreed to by ESPN and the College Football Playoff, the Southeastern Conference, the University of Georgia, and Notre Dame. He promised that the delayed game would take place in “a safe, efficient and fun environment.”
The suspect, who was killed in a shootout with police, was identified as Shamsud Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen born in Texas.
According to NBC News, Jabbar was flying a black flag on the pickup truck he allegedly drove into the crowd. Officials are investigating whether that flag is related to the terrorist group ISIS, two senior law enforcement officials told the news outlet.
The FBI said weapons and a potential IED (Improvised Explosive Device) were located in the suspect’s car and in the French Quarter.
“Please join me in praying for the victims and their families, as well as our first responders, in the wake of this horrific act of violence on Bourbon Street,” Republican Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana wrote on X after the deadly incident.
