Man rams truck into New Year crowd in US, fires gunshots, kills 10: police

At least 10 people died and 30 were injured after a vehicle ploughed into New Year crowds in New Orleans' tourist district in the US state of Louisiana, local authorities said.

A man who drove a pickup truck into New Year's revellers in New Orleans tried to "run over as many people as he possibly could", US police said.

Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told journalists that the driver "was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did."

Witnesses told CBS News that a truck drove into crowds at high speed before the driver exited and opened fire, prompting police to return fire.

"This man, this perpetrator, he fired on our officers from his vehicle when he crashed his vehicle. Two of our officers have been shot. They are stable," Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told a news conference.

Suspect in New Orleans crash and shooting is dead after a firefight with police, law enforcement officials tell AP.

According to NOLA Ready, the city's emergency preparedness campaign, the incident occurred at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Street.

Emergency services transported 30 injured people from the scene.

The area, a popular tourist destination, was crowded during early New Year's Day celebrations when the incident occurred.