The New Orleans Saints and the National Football League in which they compete have pledged to donate $1m to the victims of the Bourbon Street terror attack on New Year’s Day that left 14 people dead and 35 others injured.
In a press release issued on Saturday, the Saints and their owner, Gayle Benson, who pledged $500,000, said: “Our community has experienced an unimaginable tragedy and our collective hearts are broken as we mourn for the victims and survivors of the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans.
“As a league, our cities and teams compete at the highest levels of competition and share spirited rivalries. Our staffs and players work tirelessly towards achieving our goals and we share in victories and defeats. However, through football we are also united and we stand arm-in-arm against all forms of hatred.”
In addition to the donation from Benson and the Saints, the NFL Foundation will match the funds and contribute another $500,000, in turn bringing the total donation to $1m.
Echoing similar sentiments as Benson, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said: “Our hearts go out to all those affected by the tragic events in New Orleans. The NFL is committed to standing with the resilient community of New Orleans during this difficult time.”
The donation from Benson, the Saints and the NFL comes via their partnership with the charitable foundation Greater New Orleans Foundation and United Way, a nonprofit. According to the press release, the partnership will allow the organizations to distribute the money across “local organizations that are directly supporting victims and their families”.
Federal authorities have identified 42-year old Texas man Shamsud-Din Jabbar as the suspect who carried out the attack on Bourbon Street.
According to the FBI, Jabbar had the Islamic State (IS) terror group’s flag on his truck when he drove into the crowd of revelers in the early hours of Wednesday. Jabbar was shot dead by authorities during a gunfire exchange.
In recent days, portraits of the attack’s 14 victims have slowly emerged. The majority of the victims were in their late teens, 20s, 30s and 40s, and those killed hailed from the local region, other parts of the country and the United Kingdom. The injured included locals, other Americans and international citizens.
In response to the attack, Joe Biden called it “despicable”, adding: “New Orleans is a place unlike any other place in the world. It’s a city full of charm and joy. So many people around the world love New Orleans because of its history, its culture, and, above all, its people.
“So, I know, while this person committed a terrible assault on the city, the spirit of our New Orleans will never, never, never be defeated. It always will shine forth.”
