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Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who drove a white Ford pickup truck flying an Islamic State flag into throngs of people in New Orleans, had earlier expressed the desire to join ISIS and kill his family.
Suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar (L)/New Orleans attack site (R) (Photos: Reuters)
The US Army veteran, who drove a pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, had posted a video on social media, saying he was inspired by the Islamic State group and expressed a desire to kill, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) believes. The video was posted hours before the attack, which left 15 people dead.
Officials told CNN that the suspect, obscured by darkness in the video, also spoke about his divorce and plans to gather his family for a “celebration” with the intent of killing them. He later changed his plans and said that he joined ISIS, CNN reported.
An ISIS flag was also found attached to the trailer hitch of the rented vehicle, prompting an investigation into possible links to terrorist organisations, the FBI said in a statement.
(ISIS – often called Islamic State or ISIL – is a Muslim militant group that once imposed a reign of terror over millions of people in Iraq and Syria until it collapsed following a sustained military campaign by a US-led coalition).
The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US citizen from Texas, was shot dead by the police.
“We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible. We are aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associates,” FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan told reporters, adding that investigators were looking into a “range of suspects.”
The FBI also said it was investigating the attack as a terrorist act and does not believe the driver acted alone. Investigators found guns and what appeared to be an improvised explosive device in the vehicle, along with other devices elsewhere in the city’s famed French Quarter.
The attack also injured about 30 other people, including two police officers wounded by gunfire from the suspect.
It took place around 3.15 am (0915 GMT) near the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets, a historic tourist destination known for its music and bars where crowds were celebrating the new year.
Meanwhile, with the perceived danger ongoing, officials postponed the Sugar Bowl, a classic college football game played in New Orleans each year on New Year’s Day.
The game between Notre Dame and Georgia was put off for 24 hours until Thursday night as police swept parts of the city looking for possible explosive devices and converged on neighbourhoods in search of clues.
NEW ORLEANS ATTACK: ABOUT THE SUSPECT
In a promotional video posted four years ago, Jabbar described himself as born and reared in Beaumont, a city about 80 miles (130 km) east of Houston. He said he spent 10 years in the US military as a human resources and IT specialist.
REPORT: A man matching the name and description of the terror suspect accused of plowing through a crowd in New Orleans, shared a video introducing himself four years ago on YouTube.42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar is accused of carrying out the attack.
In a video uploaded to… pic.twitter.com/EFLgyb85g6
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 1, 2025
He served more than 10 years in the military as a human resource specialist and an IT specialist, according to the Pentagon, which said Jabbar deployed to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010.
Jabbar held a degree in computing from Georgia State University and lived in Houston, Texas, where, according to public records, he worked as a real estate agent.
The FBI said it believes the suspect may have had accomplices, but gave few additional details.
JOE BIDEN CONDEMNS ATTACK
In a press briefing, President Joe Biden condemned what he called a “despicable” act and said investigators were looking into whether there might be a link to a Tesla truck fire outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas. So far, there was no evidence linking the two events, Biden said.
“The FBI also reported to me that mere hours before the attack, he posted videos on social media indicating that he’s inspired by ISIS, expressing the desire to kill,” Biden said of the New Orleans suspect.
