Louisiana Attorney General Liz Morell commented on the matter Postponement from the Sugar Bowl after a deadly attack in New Orleans on Wednesday.
Morell told NBC News she believes the game should be postponed to Friday. It was the game He was pushed back Only one day until Thursday afternoon so far.
“It is not my decision, but I would like to see it postponed at least another day. If they ask me my opinion, I will tell them that,” Morell said. “I think it would have been wise to postpone this for at least a day. This is an active crime scene, and they just finished removing some bodies, and they haven't removed them all yet. I still think we need to wait an extra day.”
Morell added that she believes the community is “safe” regardless. The number of victims killed in the Bourbon Street attack has risen to 15, Fox News has learned.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
An exterior general aerial view of Caesars Superdome, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Tyler Kaufman)
The game is currently scheduled to be played less than 24 hours after its initial start time, despite the attack. Women Sugar bowl The organization announced that the match will start at 3pm local time (4pm ET) on Thursday. The game was initially scheduled to kick off at 8:45 PM ET on Wednesday night, and previous reports indicated the game would be postponed by 24 hours.
The Superdome is located just a mile from the site of Wednesday morning's deadly attack. Georgia and Notre Dame arrived in New Orleans on Sunday, reportedly staying at hotels located just blocks from the crime scene. According to reports, both schools have implemented a “shelter in place” order for their teams.
According to an FBI statement, a man driving a Ford pickup truck plowed into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street at approximately 3:15 a.m. local time. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Shams al-Din Jabbar, exchanged gunfire with local law enforcement authorities before he was pronounced dead at the scene.
The FBI is currently working to determine the subject's “possible ties and affiliations with terrorist organizations,” after an ISIS flag was found in the truck. Weapons and a possible explosive device were found inside the suspect's vehicle, and other possible explosive devices were found in the French Quarter.
Alethea Duncan of the FBI's New Orleans office noted during a news conference on Wednesday that the FBI did not believe Dean Jabbar was “solely responsible” for the act.
The decision to postpone the match just one day after the attack sparked mixed reactions from fans and critics on social media.
Conservative commentator John Ziegler also expressed his disapproval of the postponement in a post on X.
“This is wrong. Postponing the Sugar Bowl one day will do nothing to bring back those who lost their lives, or make the game safer. In fact, (it) gives the terrorists exactly what they wanted. We have become too soft as a society in every way,” Ziegler wrote. “Almost nothing.”
“People who say 'You can never be too safe' seem to be pretending there are no accommodation costs to postpone an event the size of the Sugar Bowl. Tens of thousands of people have traveled to New Orleans without a hotel for tomorrow night, or a flight reservation for Friday.”
Meanwhile, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy disagreed with those who criticized the postponement of the match, insinuating that such people are “stupid”.
“Well, it's been delayed. And the people who say moving it for 24 hours allows the terrorists to win are idiots. It's one day. Secure the area. Do what you gotta do. Delaying the game for 24 hours doesn't let them win,” Portnoy wrote on Twitter. X.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Police and EMS vehicles respond to a reported mass casualty incident on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on January 1, 2025. (Wufu)
Allstate Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley issued a statement sending thoughts and prayers to all the victims of the attack, while thanking those who tuned in to the new start time.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families as we work to resolve this,” said Jeff Hundley, CEO of Allstate Sugar Bowl. “We have full faith and confidence in the Governor, the Mayor, and all the federal, state and local responders who have come forward to this horrific event. Any time we have an event like the Sugar Bowl, public safety is of the utmost importance, and all parties involved agree that this can only be achieved by postponement.” “And now we will move forward with attention to detail to make the Sugar Bowl the first-class, fun and safe event it has been for over 90 years.”
“On behalf of college football, we are devastated by this morning’s attack, and our hearts go out to the families and loved ones affected by this tragedy,” said Rich Clark, executive director of the Football Playoff. “We are grateful to the leadership of the Sugar Bowl, New Orleans, the state of Louisiana and federal authorities as we work together to ensure we are able to provide a safe environment for everyone. We also appreciate ESPN's flexibility in moving the game to tomorrow afternoon.”
Follow Fox News Digital Sports coverage on Xand subscribe to Fox News Sports Huddle Newsletter.
