The terror attack that took 14 lives in New Orleans on Wednesday has prompted Governor Kathy Hochul to direct New York State Police to be on high alert as details about the attack continue to unfold.
In a statement released Wednesday evening, Hochul said the incident has no known public connection to New York State, but added that public reporting suggests the attacker — a 42-year-old man from Texas — may not have acted alone.
“The terrorist attack that occurred in New Orleans this (Wednesday) morning is a horrible reminder of the threat terrorism of all stripes poses to our country, our freedom and our way of life. We fully condemn the cowardly act of evil against innocent New Year’s revelers. Additional information is continuing to come to light, but public reporting suggests this attacker may not have acted alone. Although there is no known connection to New York State, I have nonetheless directed the New York State Police (NYSP) to be on high alert as details about this attack continue to unfold. The NYSP and Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services (DHSES) remain in constant contact with the FBI and other federal partners, as well as the New York Police Department and state fusion centers throughout the country to ensure we collect, share and analyze information about threats as quickly as possible.
“New York State has a long history of investing in law enforcement and homeland security counterterrorism tools and operations. Under my administration, we have added an additional $10 million in annual counterterrorism funding to support local government efforts to intervene in and disrupt the radicalization process and have increased the number of State Police members assigned to the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force. In addition, we have added new staffing, intelligence tools, and other resources to the NYSP Office of Counterterrorism and DHSES because I believe our law-enforcement and homeland security professionals deserve the finest tools and the best training available.
“New Yorkers have confronted the horror of terrorism and we have always come out stronger for it. We stand ready to help our countrymen in New Orleans in any way we can. But I want to stress that New Yorkers should rest assured their government, and I personally, take this threat deadly seriously. We will continue doing everything we can to keep New York safe.”
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