A U.S. Army veteran, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, drove his truck into a crowd in New Orleans' French Quarter on New Year's Day, killing 15 people and injuring about 30 others.
The attack happened around 3:15 a.m. near the busy intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets, where people were celebrating the New Year. Jabbar, 42, from Texas, was shot and killed by police after crashing into the crowd.
Jabbar, who once served in Afghanistan, was identified as the attacker. Police said the attack might have been planned with help from others, and they are investigating possible accomplices. Two police officers were also injured by gunfire during the incident.
The truck Jabbar was driving contained weapons and a possible explosive device, which were later investigated by the FBI. Authorities also found two more potential explosive devices in the French Quarter, but they were safely defused. Because of the ongoing danger, officials postponed the Sugar Bowl, a major college football game, and began searching the city for any more bombs or clues.
In a statement, FBI officials said they did not believe Jabbar acted alone. “We are aggressively looking for other suspects,” said Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge.
President Joe Biden condemned the attack, calling it "despicable," and said investigators were exploring any possible connections to another recent incident, a fire involving a Tesla truck outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas. However, no evidence has been found linking the two events.
Jabbar, a U.S. citizen, had a troubled personal history. CNN reported that he had made videos discussing his desire to join Daesh (ISIS) and thoughts about harming his family after a divorce. Public records show Jabbar worked in real estate in Houston and had served in the Army for 10 years. He was in the regular Army from 2007 to 2015 and in the Army Reserve until 2020. He served as a human resources and IT specialist and was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009-2010.
The attack has left the city shaken, with many wondering if more attacks could follow. New Orleans is also set to host the Super Bowl on February 9, and authorities are on high alert as they continue their investigation into Jabbar's actions and any possible links to other threats.