Sugar Bowl postponed, Superdome locked down after deadly New Orleans attack

The Superdome in New Orleans is under lockdown after a truck attack along Bourbon Street left at least 10 dead and more than 30 injured Wednesday.

The stadium, which seats 70,000, was scheduled to host the Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia later on Wednesday as part of the quarterfinals of the ongoing College Football Playoff.

People with offices in the Superdome were told not to go into work Wednesday, and an unnamed person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press that officials were waiting on authorities to determine whether it was still safe to hold the game at the Superdome Wednesday night. Officials ultimately decided to reschedule the game.

Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams told ABC News that the Sugar Bowl will now be played Thursday starting at 7:45 p.m. local time.

The two football teams involved both arrived in town Sunday night according to the AP, and their hotels are located within walking distance of the site of the attack, according to The Athletic.

The Georgia football team has been sheltering in place at their team hotel, ABC News reported.

“We are going to make sure our routes and our Superdome are safe today for the game,” New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said at a press conference.

New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno has also said that the Sugar Bowl will be played Wednesday night, according to New Orleans NBC affiliate WDSU-TV.

Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Republican, told CNN that he is “extremely confident” that the Sugar Bowl will be safe.

“We have lots of events: Mardi Gras, Super Bowls — Super Bowl’s coming up — Final Fours, you name it, Taylor Swift concerts. And so there is a standard protocol that works, that works,” Sen. Cassidy told CNN.

Officials involved in the game have offered their condolences for Wednesday’s attack, and a University of Georgia student was among those injured.

“At this point, we have learned that a University of Georgia student was critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment. I have spoken to the student’s family and shared my concern, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community,” University of Georgia President Jere Morehead said in a statement.

The University of Georgia wrote on social media that they “are horrified and saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day in New Orleans.”

“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available,” the Sugar Bowl committee wrote on social media.

University of Notre Dame President Rev. Robert Dowd wrote in a statement that “our prayers are with the family members and loved ones of all those impacted by the terrible attack in New Orleans early this morning. We also pray for all those injured and extend our deepest gratitude to the brave first responders.”