A Mississippi man who was celebrating New Year’s Eve in New Orleans says his friend who dreamed of becoming a nurse was among the people killed in an attack on Bourbon Street.

Zion Parsons, 18, said a vehicle suddenly appeared and he watched it hit his friend, 18-year-old Nikyra Dedeaux. At least 10 people were killed.

Parsons described the crowd scattering and the gruesome aftermath.

“Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering” Parsons said.

He said he watched as authorities put a tarp over Dedeaux’s body. He later called Dedeaux’s family to tell them what had happened.

“I hadn’t had time to cry up until I called her mother and she asked me, ‘Where’s my baby’,” Parsons said. “That broke me.”

Officials say residents and visitors should feel safe in New Orleans even as they have repeatedly acknowledged that they are aggressively seeking additional possible suspects in the attack.

During a news conference, Gov. Jeff Landry bristled at a question about how officials were confident that Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar did not act alone, saying, “Why would we tell you?”

But a Louisiana State Police bulletin obtained by The Associated Press and circulated among law enforcement contained a possible clue. The document said surveillance footage captured three men and a woman placing one of multiple improvised explosive devices.

COPIAH COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) – Poultry from a commercial broiler chicken flock in Copiah County has tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza, or bird flu.

The Mississippi Board of Animal Health announced the news on Tuesday, saying it had received notification from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Veterinary Services Laboratory.

In response, the state veterinarian has quarantined the affected area, and the birds on the property have been “depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease.”

Birds from the flock have not entered the food system, MBAH stated.

According to the agency, avian influenza does not present a food safety risks, and poultry and eggs are safe to eat when handled and cooked properly.

All poultry must reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit as a safety precaution.

MBAH states that avian influenza in birds can cause sudden death; lack of energy or appetite; decreased egg production; soft-shelled or misshapen eggs; swelling or purple discoloration of head, eyelids, comb, hocks; nasal discharge; coughing; sneezing; incoordination; and diarrhea.

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JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – All eyes will be glued to the 2025 Tournament of Roses Parade on Wednesday, with Mississippians entertaining crowds along the parade route.

Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South and Mississippi’s musical legacy appear on the national stage, showing why we’re the birthplace of American music.

“Here on the biggest of stages is an incredible opportunity for us,” said Governor Tate Reeves.

He and the First Family are in Pasadena, California, and will be atop the state float during the 136th Rose Parade.

Adorned with 13,000 yellow roses, it pays homage to Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Jimmy Rogers, and Bobby Rush.

It is a reminder to the world that Mississippi is the birthplace of American music, and bringing live sounds of southern music is Jackson State University’s Sonic Boom of the South.

“I don’t know who all is gonna be in the parade, but I do know who is gonna take the show,” added Reeves.

“It’s an opportunity for us to share with the world what we’ve always known, which is that we have the greatest band in the land, that Mississippi is home, it is the birthplace of music, and that we are maintaining that tradition,” said Dr. Lisa Beckley-Roberts, Chair of Jackson State University’s Department of Music.

Visit Jackson sees this as a chance to showcase the city and state.

“This is a place that we’ve belonged for a long time, but we’re finally taking our place,” said Visit Jackson spokesperson Yolanda Clay-Moore. “We have such a rich culture and tapestry a musical footprint.”

It’s been quite a year for JSU, performing at the Super Bowl in February and now starting the New Year in the Rose Parade.

“A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our students and now to cap off this year and to be in California and to be performing at the Rose Parade, we’re all just overwhelmed with gratitude,” added Beckley-Roberts.

The Rose Parade airs Wednesday at 10 a.m. on NBC.

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