British man Edward Pettifer among dead in New Orleans attack

A British national was among at least 14 people killed in the vehicle attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, the Foreign Office has confirmed.

He was named by the Metropolitan Police as Edward Pettifer, 31, of Chelsea, London.

His family paid tribute to a “wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and friend to so many”.

During the attack, a man in a pick-up truck ploughed through crowds on the city’s Bourbon Street before being killed by police.

The New Orleans coroner gave Mr Pettifer’s preliminary cause of death as “blunt force injuries”, PA reports.

Mr Pettifer’s family said: “The entire family are devastated at the tragic news of Ed’s death in New Orleans. He was a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many.

“We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private. Thank you.”

In a statement, the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office said it was supporting the family.

A well-known American college football player, a young aspiring nurse and a mother of a four-year-old are also among the victims.

Their names were released by families and relatives before the authorities in the US completed post-mortem examinations.

The attack is believed to have been carried out by a 42-year-old Texas resident and US Army veteran.

After driving the truck through the crowds the suspect is said to have got out and fired a weapon before being shot dead by police.

The FBI says an Islamic State group flag was found inside the vehicle.

Two improvised explosive devices were also found nearby, according to police.

The suspect, named as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, is believed to have acted alone in a “premeditated and evil act”, the FBI has said.

At least 39 other people were injured during the attack, which took place in the city’s French Quarter – a bustling nightspot popular with locals and tourists – at around 03:15 (09:15 GMT) on Wednesday.

Some of the injured have been discharged from hospital but more than a dozen remain, with some being treated in the ICU.

Bourbon Street was opened to the public on Thursday morning ahead of the Sugar Bowl, a much-anticipated college American football match between Notre Dame and the University of Georgia, that draws thousands of attendees.