The suspect who killed at least 10 people and injured dozens of others after ramming a truck into a crowd of people in New Orleans reportedly had an ISIS flag in the vehicle, according to a report.
The suspect, who was shot and killed by the FBI, has been named as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, Times-Picayune reports, citing a law enforcement source.
Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the perpetrator was “hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”
The FBI is investigating the 3:15 a.m. Wednesday incident where a vehicle drove into a crowd on the famed Bourbon Street in the first hours of New Year’s Day. a
The suspect acted with “very intentional behavior,” police have said. Two officers were struck in a gunfire exchange with the suspect and are now in stable condition.
The federal agency is now investigating the incident as an “act of terrorism.” New Orleans police said the driver was trying to “run over as many people as he possibly could.”
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent from the FBI, said officials were investigating the discovery of at least one suspected improvised explosive device.
Footage circulating online, which appears to show the aftermath of the incident, shows multiple lying on the floor as people run from the area. One person who says they witnessed the incident described it on social media as the “most horrific thing I’ve ever seen.”
New drone images show smashed truck at the scene
New drone images show the smashed-up pickup truck at the scene.
Rhian Lubin1 January 2025 17:40
Handgun and AR-style rifle recovered – law enforcement official
Law enforcement has recovered a handgun and AR-style rifle after the driver killed 10 in this morning’s attack, according to the Associated Press, citing an official.
Rhian Lubin1 January 2025 17:29
NEW: Suspect’s truck reportedly had ISIS flag – report
He has been named as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, the newspaper reports.
Police shot and killed the suspect.
Rhian Lubin1 January 2025 17:17
Investigators probing whether fire at Airbnb property is connected to attack
Investigators are probing whether a fire that broke out at a nearby Airbnb property is connected to the New Year’s Day attack, according to Times-Picayune.
Sources told the newspaper that investigators believe the Airbnb was rented by the suspect.
Bomb squad and law enforcement officials attended the fire at an address approximately a 10 minute drive from Bourbon Street, according to the outlet.
Rhian Lubin1 January 2025 17:11
Trump uses New Orleans attack to slam migrants without offering proof one was involved
The president-elect posted on Truth Social Wednesday saying that immigrants were more likely to commit worse crimes than U.S. citizens.
Read the full story below.
Eric Garcia1 January 2025 17:00
Authorities give update on investigation
New Orleans officials are giving an update on their investigation into the attack.
At least 10 are dead and 35 were hurt in the incident. New Orleans police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the suspect went around the barricades that were up to carry out his attack.
“He was hellbent on creating the carnage and damage that he did,” she said.
Alex Lang1 January 2025 16:42
City was in the middle of new bollard project
The New Year’s Day attack occurred at the intersections of Iberville and Bourbon streets, just one block from the entrance to Bourbon at the major Canal Street thoroughfare.
Permanent retractable barriers were installed in 2017 as part of then-Mayor Mitch Landrieu’s $40 million plan to boost security and make the French Quarter more pedestrian-friendly — part of a much larger master plan to make the French Quarter a more family-friendly tourist destination, which residents weren’t thrilled about.
The bollards, debuting ahead of the NBA All-Star Game, were partially in response to a mass murder in France in 2016, when a terrorist plowed into a Bastille Day crowd and killed 86 people.
The city installed a series of bollards between Canal and St. Ann streets. But the city was in the middle of a new bollard project, with plans to finish by the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras 2025.
Chunks of road were being removed to take out the existing bollards, though it’s unclear how far the city got.
A previous barrier at Canal and Bourbon streets was recently removed.
Alex Woodward1 January 2025 16:40
President Joe Biden releases statement on NYD attack
President Joe Biden has shared a statement on the New Year’s Day attack:
“I have been continually briefed since early this morning by federal law enforcement leadership and my homeland security team, including Secretary of Homeland Security Ali Mayorkas, Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, White House Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood-Randall, and the Mayor of New Orleans regarding the horrific incident that occurred there overnight.
The FBI is taking the lead in the investigation and is investigating this incident as an act of terrorism. I am grateful for the brave and swift response of local law enforcement in preventing even greater death and injury.
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 and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind.
I will continue to receive updates throughout the day, and I will have more to say as we have further information to share. In the meantime, my heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday.
There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
Rhian Lubin1 January 2025 16:20
President-elect Donald Trump: ‘Crime rate in our country is at a level nobody has seen before’
President-elect Donald Trump has responded to the attack in a post on Truth Social:
When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true.
The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department.
The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!
Rhian Lubin1 January 2025 16:10
Witness describes scenes of ‘absolute chaos’
A witness has described scenes of “absolute chaos” in the early hours of this morning as revelers were celebrating the new year.
Alex Birth-Mitchell told CNN he “visited several clubs, then walked up and down the street and had just gotten to this club when the truck came through plowing everyone down.”
He said that he feels lucky to be alive as he had just gained entry to a nightclub and was indoors when the attack took place.
“If we would have been waiting outside, we would be dead maybe,” he told the broadcaster.
Rhian Lubin1 January 2025 16:00
