FBI identifies US army veteran as the suspect in deadly New Orleans truck attack
FBI investigators arrive at the scene where the white Ford F-150 pickup truck that crashed into a work lift after allegedly driving into a crowd of New Year's revelers in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., Jan. 1, 2025. (AFP Photo)
The FBI identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, as the suspect accused of ramming a pickup truck into New Year’s partygoers early Wednesday morning, in an attack that left at least 15 dead.
Jabbar reportedly drove a Ford pickup truck into the crowd before exiting the vehicle and opening fire on responding officers. The police returned fire, fatally wounding Jabbar at the scene. Two officers were injured and taken to a local hospital.
Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, was found with a Daesh terror group flag inside the vehicle. The FBI is investigating his potential ties to terrorist organizations.
Suspect is US army veteran, says FBI
Suspect who killed at least 15 people in New Orleans truck-ramming attack was army veteran believed to have been honorably discharged, said FB.
“What I can tell you is that the person was an army veteran, we believe he was honorably discharged but we are working through this process to figure out all this information,” said FBI special agent Alethea Duncan at a press conference.
“We are aggressively running down all leads to identify any possible associates of the subject,” the FBI said in a statement.
Multiple weapons and a possible improvised explosive device (IED) were discovered inside the truck. Bomb technicians are also working to determine if other explosive devices found in the French Quarter are viable.
‘No justification for violence’
President Joe Biden was briefed continuously by senior law enforcement and national security officials throughout the morning about the attack, offering gratitude to the local police whose actions prevented further casualties.
“I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible,” Biden said in a statement. “There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
The truck plowed through the heart of the French Quarter around 3:15 a.m. local time (0915GMT), injuring at least 35 others. The area is popular with tourists and a hotspot for major celebrations, especially on New Year’s Eve.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the deadly incident as a “terrorist attack.”
The FBI is leading the investigation into the attack, which officials suspect to be an act of terrorism.
