At least 14 people were killed and dozens more were injured when a man drove a pickup truck into a New Orleans crowd early on New Year’s Day. The FBI has identified the suspect. President Biden is set to visit the city on Monday, Jan. 6, to mourn alongside its grieving residents.
Here’s the latest on what authorities have labeled an “act of terror.”
The suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, was a U.S. citizen and Army veteran who served in Afghanistan. He died in a shootout with police. Jabbar drove from Houston to New Orleans on Dec. 31.
On the morning of the attack, Jabbar posted five videos to Facebook, where he revealed that he had joined ISIS last summer and planned to invite his family to a “celebration” before killing them. FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said in a press conference that he changed his mind about harming his family because he was worried that the media coverage wouldn’t focus on the “war between the believers and the disbelievers.”
How Shamsud-Din Jabbar prepared for the attack
The truck that Jabbar rammed into the Bourbon Street crowd reportedly contained potential improvised explosive devices and an ISIS flag. Louisiana’s Attorney General told NBC News that the devices appear to have been made at an Airbnb rented for that purpose.
Jabbar was reportedly wearing Meta glasses when he carried out the Jan. 1 attack — but didn’t attempt to record or live-stream it. It seems he did use the glasses during scouting trips to New Orleans in October and November, during which he worked out the most effective location for his attack. His first scouting expedition began on October 30.
“He was in town for at least two days. During that time, Jabbar, using Meta glasses, recorded a video as he rode through the French Quarter on a bicycle,” said special agent Lyonel Myrthil. “As we continue to learn more about that trip, we ask anyone who may have seen or interacted with him to contact us.”
The FBI is still piecing together the details of Jabbar’s second trip, which commenced on November 10.
Per ABC News, a special agent in charge of the New Orleans Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives field office said that Jabbar allegedly drenched a linen closet in his Airbnb with gasoline and set it alight at about 12:15 a.m. on Jan. 1. The fire apparently burned itself out, and was fully extinguished in time for the FBI to gather evidence.
Jabbar also apparently planted two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on the streets of the French Quarter before the attack. According to early tests, they contained “R-Salt explosives,” which are easily acquired in the U.S. According to the special agent, Jackson didn’t use the correct device to set off the explosives.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s background
Jabbar’s half-brother, 24-year-old Abdur Jabbar, told ABC News that he’s still in shock over the event. He described Jabbar as loving, humble, and “one of the nicest guys you’d ever meet — would not hurt a fly.” He also noted that his half-brother was “isolated.”
Jabbar had a history of marital issues, divorce, and financial hardship, according to ABC News. He had multiple children and ex-wives.
He said in a YouTube video from 2020 that has now been removed that he’d spent a decade in the military working as a human resources and IT specialist, ABC News reports, and became a realtor in the Houston area after his time in the military. He also reportedly said he was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas.
Jabbar also worked for Ernst & Young and Deloitte after the military.
According to BBC, he had a criminal record for traffic offenses and theft.
What happened in New Orleans on New Year’s Day
The attack occurred just after 3 a.m. in the French Quarter, less than a mile from where the Sugar Bowl was due to take place later in the day. “We heard him punch the gas and then the impact and then the screams,” Kimberly Stricklin, of Mobile, Ala., told The New York Times. “It just took a moment to register, it was just so frightening — it was like something out of a horror movie.”
The FBI is treating the incident as an “act of terror” and no longer believes there are any other suspects involved in the attack.
“This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil,” police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said.
Meanwhile, authorities in other major U.S. cities said they have since ramped up security, including at Trump Tower and Times Square in New York City, though there are believed to be no immediate threats.
Is there any connection to the Las Vegas truck explosion?
The FBI said there appeared to be no link between the attack in New Orleans and the Tesla Cybertruck that was blown up outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday morning.
The attacks just bear some superficial similarities, including the fact that both cars were rented from the same company (Turo), but that appears to be it.
