U.S. Army veteran leads deadly New Orleans attack
The FBI confirmed that the bomber from New Orleans is a 42-year-old U.S. citizen, Shamsud Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran. Explosive devices were found in his car and also in the French Quarter where the attack took place. Investigators are convinced that the man did not act alone.
On Wednesday morning Eastern Time, a pickup truck ploughed into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans. At least 15 people were killed, and 35 were injured.
The attacker got out of the vehicle and engaged in a shootout with the police. He was shot by officers and died on the spot.
"The subject has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas (...). An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations," the FBI stated in an official communication.
He was not the only one responsible
During a press conference on Wednesday, attended by representatives from the FBI, police, and city authorities, it was reported that weapons and explosive charges were found in the perpetrator's vehicle, which were neutralized.
Two explosive devices were also found near the location of the attack.
FBI agent Alethea Duncan stated during the press conference that according to the authorities, Jabbar was not "solely responsible," and asked witnesses for any information on the perpetrator and his activities in recent days.
Officials stated that they believe several suspects were involved in the organization of the attack.
U.S. Army veteran
The FBI also reported that the car with which Jabbar drove into the crowd celebrating New Year's Day was rented. Earlier, the television channel NBC contacted the family of the vehicle's owner from Houston, who said they rented out the car via a mobile app.
According to publicly available information confirmed by the FBI, Jabbar served in the U.S. Army as an IT worker, and later worked in IT companies and the real estate market.
According to data obtained by CBS News, Jabbar was a resident of Houston. He held hunting and fishing licences, as well as a real estate licence, which expired in 2021. He had previous run-ins with the law, being charged with theft and driving without a licence.
According to court documents accessed by CBS News, Jabbar divorced in 2020. His wife then filed for a court restraining order to ensure the safety of her and their children.
The attacker bypassed barriers by driving onto the sidewalk
So far, 15 fatalities have been confirmed in the attack, along with 35 injured. The local police chief, Anne Kirkpatrick, suggested, however, that the death toll may rise, saying that some of the injured were taken to hospital in critical condition.
Among the injured are two Israeli citizens.
The local police chief explained that the perpetrator of the massacre managed to drive into the crowd and bypass barriers because the city is currently replacing special bollards that were installed in 2017 to protect against similar attacks. In their place along some sections of Bourbon Street, police cars and other barriers were set up, but the attacker, in order to bypass them, drove onto the sidewalk and hit the crowd of people.
