At least 15 people have been killed and dozens more injured in New Orleans, after a US army veteran apparently inspired by Daesh drove a pick-up truck into a crowd celebrating the New Year.
The suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, who was once deployed to Afghanistan allegedly displayed a Daesh Takfiri flag from his vehicle before barreling into a crowd in the French Quarter on Wednesday.
The victims were celebrating the arrival of 2025 when the attack occurred at approximately 3:15 a.m., killing 15 individuals and injuring around 30 others.
Witnesses described scenes of bodies and blood and victims crying on the ground in the fetal position after the truck had passed. “The best way I can describe it is truly a war zone,” one witness said.
Investigators found weapons and a potential explosive device in Jabbar’s truck. Additionally, two suspected explosive devices were located in the French Quarter and were safely neutralized by the FBI.
Among the injured were two police officers who were shot during an exchange of gunfire with Jabbar, who was ultimately killed by police.
FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan said, “We do not believe that Jabbar acted alone.”
US President Joe Biden said investigators were examining possible connections between Jabbar’s actions and a Tesla truck fire near a Trump hotel in Las Vegas.
In a misleading statement, President-elect Donald Trump claimed that Jabbar was a non-citizen, despite the fact that Jabbar was a US citizen, originally from Beaumont, Texas.
Jabbar had a background in real estate in Houston and served in the active Army from March 2007 to January 2015, followed by service in the Army Reserve until July 2020. He was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010 and held the rank of staff sergeant upon his departure from active duty.
In a promotional video from four years ago, he mentioned spending a decade in the US military specializing in human resources and IT.
In response to the attack, New Orleans officials postponed the Sugar Bowl, a prominent college football game scheduled for the same day, as police continued to search for additional explosive devices and investigate the area for further evidence. The city is also bracing for the upcoming NFL Super Bowl on February 9.
New Orleans has struggled with a high homicide rate in recent years, with some media outlets dubbing it the “murder capital of the United States.”
