Tampa’s annual pirate festivities commence with the Jan. 18 Children’s Gasparilla and Jan. 25 Gasparilla Pirate Fest. Just weeks after 14 were killed and dozens injured in New Orleans when a man intentionally drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street, local officials announced additional resources will be used this year to assure safety.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Houston, also traveled to Cairo, Egypt, as well as Ontario, Canada, before the attack, although it was not yet clear whether those trips were connected to the attack, Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said at a press conference.

As new security concerns are surfacing in light of the recent attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Tampa Bay leaders said they're making safety a priority.

The Tampa Police Department, along with their public safety partners, shared an update Tuesday afternoon regarding plans to keep all the Gasparilla events fun and safe.