At least 10 people were killed and as many as 30 injured after a vehicle drove into a large crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans' French Quarter early on Wednesday, according to a city government agency.

A truck crashed into the crowd at high speed, and then the driver got out and started firing a weapon, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said at an early morning news conference.

"He was hell bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did . . . This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could. It was not a DUI situation," Kirkpatrick said, Two police officers were shot but are in stable condition, she said.

NOLA Ready, the city's official disaster preparedness agency, confirmed there was a "mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street." The incident happened around 3:15 a.m., according to the city's emergency responders.

It said there were 30 injured patients who had been transported by New Orleans Emergency Medical Services, with 10 fatalities, adding: "Public safety partners are responding on scene."

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry confirmed on X that "a horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning" and urged people to pray for victims. He also asked citizens to avoid the area.

Bourbon Street is a nightlife hub that draws thousands for New Year's Eve celebrations in New Orleans. The city is also due to host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Georgia Bulldogs today in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. The Sugar Bowl New Year's parade took place Tuesday afternoon in the same area as the crash. (USA Today with additional reports by Reuters)