The FBI14 people have been killed and at least 35 injured after a man suspected of being inspired by the Islamic State group (IS) entered large crowds in New Orleans, Louisiana, early in the morning on New Year’s Day.
Here is what we know so far about what happened and the perpetrator, who was killed in the incident.
How did this attack happen?
At 03:15 local time on New Year’s Day, a truck plowed into crowds gathered on Bourbon Street in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter.
CCTV footage shows a white Ford F-150 Lightning driving onto the pavement to go around a police car before hitting pedestrians.
Police described the act as “premeditated”, adding that the attacker – identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar – “was intent on causing the killing and the damage he did”.
Jabbar was also armed and shot at the law enforcement officers, injuring two policemen. He was then killed by police firing.
Whit Davis, from Shreveport, Louisiana, told the BBC he was held in a bar with a large group after the attack while police secured the scene.
When they left, they “walked past injured bodies all over the street”, he said.
Who was Shamsud-Din Jabbar?
The FBI said Jabbar, 42, was an Army veteran and a U.S. citizen born in Texas.
The truck he was traveling in when he was attacked was electric and it is believed that it was rented in the province through an app. called Thuro.
According to a now-deleted LinkedIn profile, Jabbar served in various roles in the US Army, including human resources and IT, before being discharged. He was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010.
In a YouTube video posted in 2020, Jabbar said his time in the military taught him “the meaning of great service and what it means to be responsive and take everything seriously, to make sure I’m there and to cross the t’s to make sure things go smoothly”.
More on the attack on New Orleans
He attended Georgia State University from 2015 to 2017, earning a degree in computer information systems.
The casting company Deloitte confirmed that Jabbar was hired by the company in 2021 and was said to have been working for Ernst & Young.
He has been married three times and has children from two relationships. Her first marriage ended in 2012, and her second marriage lasted from 2013 to 2016. He remarried in 2017 before divorcing in 2022.
Court records related to Jabbar’s recent divorce indicate financial problems — with his monthly expenses, including child support, exceeding his income.
Various documents reveal that his then wife had accused him of financial mismanagement and obtained a temporary restraining order against him.
Jabbar appears to be working in real estate as well – holding a license that expires in 2023. He had a criminal record, related to traffic offenses and theft.
Are there other suspects?
Authorities were looking into the possibility that Jabbar had accomplices, but later clarified that they are confident he acted alone.
FBI Deputy Director Christopher Raia said at a press conference on Thursday that officials want to go public, and that means “unfortunately there is information we have to go back to”.
A flag associated with IS was found in the car the suspect was traveling in and the FBI said it is investigating what Jabbar has to do with terrorist groups.
President Joe Biden said he had been told by the FBI, that the suspect had uploaded videos to social media “hours before the attack” that showed he was inspired by IS and expressed a “desire to kill”.
Officials said Thursday that Jabbar picked up the Ford truck used in the Dec. 30 shooting in Houston, Texas, before driving to New Orleans.
During the drive, they said, he posted several videos online.
In the first, Jabbar said that he originally intended to harm his family, but that would not represent a “war between believers and non-believers”.
In the videos, he also declared his allegiance to IS, according to officials.
A person familiar with the investigation told CBS that no foreign terrorist organization has claimed responsibility for the attack.
The detectives are also looking into that attack on New Orleans related to the car explosion outside the Trump Hotel.
Mr Raia said on Thursday they were following “all possible leads” but at the moment there was “no direct link” between the two incidents.
Who were the victims?
Police said the victims appeared to be mostly New Orleans locals, although many tourists were visiting for New Year’s Eve celebrations and the Sugar Bowl – part of the college football playoffs – which was taking place. postponed to Wednesday due to the attack.
Among the dead was a former football star at Princeton University Martin “Tiger” Bechaccording to the athletics department at this college.
“He was a ‘Tiger’ in every way – a fierce competitor with endless energy, a loving teammate and a caring friend,” Bob Surace, head football coach, said in a statement.
An aspiring nurse Nikyra Cheyenne DedeauxHis mother’s death was confirmed by his mother, Melissa, on social media.
He told the media that the 19-year-old boy sneaked along with his cousin and a friend, who survived the attack.
Hubert Gauthreaux21, was identified in a Facebook post posted by his high school, saying he was killed in a “senseless act”.
Store manager and father of two Reggie Hunter37, was described by her cousin Shirell Robinson Jackson as “full of life”.
Ms Jackson told CBS that Mr Hunter was traveling with another cousin, who was injured in the attack.
Nicole Perez she worked in a restaurant and was the mother of a four-month-old child. His friend and manager, Kimberly Usher Fall, said he was a dedicated, intelligent and “good-hearted person”.
Audio-visual specialist Matthew Tenedorio, 25, “had a carefree spirit and an infectious laugh” that brought joy to those around him, according to a fundraiser his family set up in his name.
Kareem Badawi, student at the University of Alabama, was nominated by his school. On Facebook, the university’s president, Stuart Bell, wrote that he was “sorry with Kareem’s family and friends for their tragic loss”.
Where did this happen?
Bourbon Street is a well-known nightlife and tourist hotspot full of restaurants, bars and clubs with live music.
It’s within New Orleans’ French Quarter, a lively area that attracts tourists and locals alike, especially to celebrate New Year’s.
It was founded by the French – who colonized Louisiana before the founding of the US – in 1718. The original street grid that was designed at that time is one of the main attractions of the city.
Every year, more than a million people flock to its famous Mardi Gras festivals and parades in the spring, famous for the strings of colorful beads worn by party goers.
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