Photo by Mikhail Nilov
On New Year’s Day, a man intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter, resulting in a murderous rampage. Officials reported that at least 14 people were killed before the attacker died in a gunfight with police. Dozens more were injured in the attack. A black ISIS flag was flying from the truck’s rear bumper, and the attack is being investigated as a terrorist crime, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
According to the FBI, the driver of the vehicle is Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a US citizen from Texas.
In broadcast remarks Wednesday evening, President Biden said the FBI concluded that just hours before the incident, Jabbar “posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS, expressing a desire to kill.”
The FBI described the vehicle as an electric Ford pickup truck that appeared to have been hired. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick stated on social media Jabbar rented the truck on Dec. 30, while staying in the Houston area, before going to New Orleans.
At a news conference Wednesday afternoon, FBI special agent Alethea Duncan stated that investigators “do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible” for the incident, and that he may have received assistance in carrying it out. Duncan stated that the FBI is investigating a “range of suspects” and does “not want to rule anything out” at this time. The FBI is also investigating his potential links or associations with terrorist organizations.
According to a source involved with the investigation, neither ISIS nor any other foreign terror organization has claimed credit for the incident as of yet.
According to New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, the perpetrator drove around barricades and into Bourbon Street’s sidewalk, circumventing police barriers. Kirkpatrick stated that the man “was trying to run over as many people as he could.”
“We had a car there, we had barriers there, we had officers there, and he still got around,” according to Kirkpatrick.
The suspect then got out of the car and began fire on the police, according to an FBI official. The FBI reported that he was killed after exchanging gunfire with three responding cops. He was shot by officers and pronounced dead on the spot, according to the New Orleans officers Department. Two police officers were injured by gunfire but are in stable condition.
According to Duncan, the car contained two possible improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, as well as weapons. According to an individual familiar with the inquiry, law officials destroyed at least one further IED that was discovered in the French Quarter. According to individuals who spoke to CBS News, the FBI suspects the man may have had an accomplice because of the quantity of IEDs left behind. According to sources who spoke to CBS News, investigators are going through the footage to determine whether any accomplices were involved in the placement of the devices.
According to Duncan, no other IEDs were discovered during additional police sweeps. According to Kirkpatrick, police patrolled the area in a grid pattern, searching for any suspicious objects. Duncan advised anyone to get in touch with authorities if they see anything fishy.
Law enforcement officials tell CBS News that a long gun was found at the scene. Sources on the scene claim that the long gun had a “suppressive device” attached to it that served as a silencer.
The man was wearing body armor, according to two people with knowledge of the inquiry who spoke to CBS News.
Officials tell CBS News that the suspect was sleeping at an Airbnb in the St. Roch neighborhood of New Orleans, where the FBI, Homeland Security, and bomb squad investigators have all been on the site. The investigation into the Wednesday fire that occurred in that building is still ongoing.
