It’s surreal: Mississippi state senator was in New Orleans at time of attack

JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) -Some Mississippians were in New Orleans to ring in the new year, including Mississippi state Senator Michael McClendon from DeSoto County. His family arrived in the city earlier in the day Tuesday ahead of the Billy Strings concert they attended. They never went down to Bourbon Street but they were staying a block away.

“Concert lasted till about 12:15 or 12:30,” he recalled. “Took an Uber back. Got here about 1:30. It’s just normal New Year’s Eve. Everybody having fun… We got in our room and hear sirens about 3:15. Wakes us up. You’re in New Orleans. You you hear sirens. But I started getting calls and texts about 6:00 this morning. You alright? You alright? Click the news, the TV on, and I mean, see this tragedy.”

McClendon was standing on the edge of the yellow crime scene tape that was still blocking Canal Street Wednesday morning when we spoke with him.

“People are just walking around like in disbelief and confusion and you know you can see some anger in people’s faces also,” noted McClendon. “I hurt for the family and the victims… Supposed to be a festive time, then a tragedy like this happens… Puts things in perspective. It’s a crazy world we live in.”

He describes the feeling of being there during what’s been called a terrorist attack as surreal.

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