NEW ORLEANS — An Army veteran drove a pickup truck into a crowd celebrating New Year’s in New Orleans, prompting the FBI to confirm on Thursday that he acted independently in the incident. Initially, there were suggestions that he might have collaborated with others. The attack was claimed to be influenced by the Islamic State group, which raised considerable concerns among federal officials about a resurfacing threat of international terrorism.
The driver, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old American from Texas, had shared five videos on his Facebook account shortly before the violence unfolded. In these recordings, he expressed support for the militant group and foreshadowed the imminent attack in New Orleans’ famous French Quarter. Christopher Raia, the deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, labeled Jabbar’s assault as “an act of terrorism” and described the event as premeditated and evil.
The tragic event unfolded on Bourbon Street, resulting in the deaths of 14 innocent bystanders, with Jabbar also dying in a shootout with law enforcement after he crashed his truck into the celebratory crowd. About 30 others sustained injuries in the incident, marking it as one of the deadliest terrorist acts linked to the Islamic State on U.S. soil in several years.
Raia emphasized that there was no evidence connecting this attack to an explosion caused by a Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump’s hotel in Las Vegas, where the driver, a decorated Army Green Beret, took his life just before detonating the vehicle. The FBI had been investigating Jabbar when they became confident he acted alone, despite the risks posed by two improvised explosive devices that had been left in coolers yet were safely defused.
As investigators meticulously sift through evidence, including surveillance video and social media posts, they are delving into Jabbar’s transformation to radicalization. His journey culminated with a truck rental in Houston on December 30, two days prior to the attack in New Orleans. A black Islamic State flag was discovered in his rented vehicle, and his video content indicated he had previously intended to harm those close to him but decided to enact a broader violent agenda instead.
Jabbar’s military history includes service since 2007 in human resources and IT, with a deployment to Afghanistan between 2009 and 2010 before transitioning to the Army Reserve in 2015, from which he was discharged in 2020 as a staff sergeant. Additionally, reports indicate he traveled to Egypt in 2023 before coming back to the U.S. and taking a brief trip to Toronto.
Family members expressed shock over Jabbar’s actions, with his younger brother admitting he couldn’t reconcile the violence with his brother’s character. They described him as quiet and reserved, claiming no signs of radicalization during their recent communications. Friends who knew him, including Chris Pousson from Beaumont, Texas, mentioned that Jabbar did not display any concerning behaviors that would have raised alarms.
In New Orleans, the community began to heal as it resumed normal operations following the tragedy. Authorities completed their investigations early Thursday morning, allowing Bourbon Street, renowned for its festive atmosphere, to reopen by the afternoon. The Sugar Bowl college football playoff game, which had been delayed for security reasons, was successfully held later that evening. Mayor LaToya Cantrell affirmed the city’s resilience, expressing confidence in New Orleans’ ability to host large events in the future.
