2 US army veterans linked to Wednesday’s deadly attacks
Members of the National Guard and police look on at a blocked off street, a block from Bourbon Street, after at least 15 people were killed during an attack early in the morning on January 1, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (AFP Photo)
Two separate attacks by former U.S. military personnel left multiple casualties across America this week, with investigators revealing that both the suspects had extensive service records.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a former U.S. Army staff sergeant, drove a truck through crowds in New Orleans‘ tourist district on Wednesday, killing 15 and injuring 35 others, the FBI said.
Jabbar served in the U.S. Army from 2007 to 2015 as a human resource and information technology specialist, including a deployment to Afghanistan, as per media reports. He later continued in the Army Reserves until 2020 and “had an honorable discharge” according to reports.
Jabbar also earned a computer information systems degree from Georgia State University and worked as a real estate agent in Texas along with having his licenses for hunting and fishing.
Reports suggest he also had prior brushes with the law, including theft and driving without a license.
Court records show two marriages ending in divorce, the latest in 2022.
According to several media reports, friends and family have expressed disbelief regarding his actions, describing him as kind and disciplined. However, his latest wife suggested he has changed in a bad way in recent months, causing her to stop letting his daughters visit him.
U.S. President Joe Biden said Jabbar appeared to be inspired by Daesh, noting he had posted videos expressing a desire to kill hours before the attack.
Potential link being probed
In a separate incident in Las Vegas, a Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside Trump International Hotel killed one person and injured seven others.
Media reports identified the suspect as Matthew Livelsberger, 37, allegedly another military veteran, a “Green Beret,” who worked on small unmanned aircraft systems, though his identity remains unconfirmed by officials.
According to an unverified LinkedIn profile that has since been deleted, the suspect served 19 years in the U.S. Army, including roles as a Special Forces Communications Specialist and Intelligence Specialist.
The profile indicated he graduated from Norwich University, a private military college in Vermont, northeastern U.S.
Local media reported Livelsberger had multiple addresses in Colorado Springs and law enforcement started an investigation there.
U.S. authorities are investigating a potential link between a Cybertruck explosion and the pickup truck attack in New Orleans, Biden said.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk also suggested a possible connection between the two incidents, with both vehicles reportedly rented via the same app.
