Event planners in the Bay Area have long feared the kind of tragedy that struck New Orleans’ Bourbon Street in the early hours of 2025, when a U.S. Army veteran used a pickup truck as a weapon, killing over a dozen people and injuring many more with a common mode of transportation.

One of the challenges is that such attacks, involving vehicles that are on the road daily, are incredibly difficult to prevent.

“This has always been a concern — we’ve been talking about it from the start,” said Shari Godinez, executive director of Koreatown Northgate Community Benefit District, which organizes a popular monthly block party on Telegraph Avenue near downtown Oakland.

Following the attack in New Orleans, which left at least 14 dead and dozens injured, police and event planners across the Bay Area said they would review their security plans. This came just hours after a Tesla Cybertruck filled with explosives exploded outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas, raising concerns and putting police departments on high alert. No link has been established between the two incidents.

By Thursday afternoon, some organizers of local block parties said they would proceed with their events, though with heightened caution. While they committed to reviewing security measures, they expressed the challenge of guarding against an attack using a vehicle as a weapon.

“You can’t let fear stop events from happening,” said Godinez, whose next Oakland First Fridays event is set for March 7 along Telegraph Avenue from West Grand to 27th Street. She plans to meet with the Oakland Police Department soon to discuss how to ensure the safety of the event, which already includes barriers at each entrance. “Our officers are on heightened alert and are prepared to respond to any incident that may occur,” stated the San Francisco Police Department. “The SFPD will be fully staffed for all major events in the coming weeks and months.”

On Thursday, the FBI confirmed that an Army veteran appeared to have acted alone when he drove a pickup truck into a crowd on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street on New Year’s Eve. The man, an American from Texas, posted videos supporting the Islamic State before the attack and died in a firefight with police.

This attack followed a similar incident in Germany, where a motorist drove into a Christmas market, killing five and injuring over 200. Federal authorities had warned local law enforcement about such risks weeks before the New Orleans tragedy.

The New Orleans attack adds to a growing list of incidents where vehicles have been used as weapons. In November, a driver killed 35 people in China, and the deadliest such attack occurred in Nice, France, in 2016, where 86 people were killed.

In the Bay Area, a hit-and-run spree by Omeed Popal killed one person in Fremont and injured 18 in San Francisco, with Popal later being committed to a psychiatric hospital.

While such attacks remain relatively rare, said Michelle Rippy, an associate professor at CSU East Bay, they are a particular concern due to the ease of obtaining a vehicle and the simplicity of using it as a weapon.

Just this past weekend, a motorist nearly hit several people at a San Jose festival while fleeing from police. The driver of a gray sedan drove through the Christmas in the Park event, evading officers who had attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. Video showed at least one person diving out of the car’s path as it sped away.

San Jose police arrested the driver the following day on suspicion of reckless driving, evading arrest, and hit and run. Debbie Degutis, the event’s managing director, noted the key difference between this incident and the tragedy in New Orleans: the driver appeared to be fleeing, not targeting people. However, keeping vehicles away from pedestrians remains a critical concern for event organizers.

“He was scared — he wasn’t angry — and to us, there’s a big difference,” said Degutis, emphasizing that the timing and the low crowd numbers at the event reduced the risk. “He had an opportunity to leave the area, so he did.”

After the New Orleans attack, San Jose police increased patrols at the Christmas in the Park event to prevent potential copycat incidents. While no specific threats were identified, the extra security was intended to reassure the public.

Though the heightened security was temporary, Degutis plans to consult with city officials to evaluate any necessary changes when the event resumes in November. “That’s the last thing we want people to worry about,” she said, adding that the event is meant to be a safe place for the community. “We just have to do our best in making sure the community watches out for each other.”

The San Francisco Police Department said it was closely monitoring the situations in New Orleans and Las Vegas but had no knowledge of any credible threats to San Francisco. Their statement came hours before the first Downtown First Thursdays event of the year, which was set to feature live music and street performances.