Americans expected a celebratory start to 2025, but just three hours into the new year, terror struck.
Shamsud Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran and self-proclaimed ISIS sympathizer, drove a rented electric Ford F-150 Lightning into the bustling Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ iconic French Quarter.
The street, packed with revelers, turned into a horrifying scene: bodies lay in pools of blood, injured victims screamed for help, and many stood frozen in shock.
The Texas-born attacker, who had reportedly become radicalized, was killed during a shootout with police. His lifeless body was found next to the battered truck on the asphalt. The grim toll: 15 dead, including teenagers, students, a football star, and parents, alongside numerous others who had been joyfully celebrating the New Year.
A Second Strike in Las Vegas Hours Later
Hours later, terror struck another tourist hotspot: Las Vegas. A Tesla Cybertruck pulled up at the valet station of the 38-story Trump Hotel, its golden facade shimmering in the morning sun. Moments later, a loud explosion rocked the lobby as the truck burst into flames. The driver, Matthew Livelsberger, a 37-year-old Green Beret soldier, ended his life with a gunshot to the head.
The tragedy could have been far worse. The vehicle, which was incinerated in the blaze, had been packed with gasoline canisters and fireworks. Livelsberger, who had recently been stationed near Stuttgart, appeared to have meticulously planned the act, though the full scope of his intentions remains unclear.
No Clear Links Between the Two Attacks
Such a coordinated double strike is virtually unheard of in the United States. Yet, despite an intense investigation, no direct link between the two attacks has been found. Both perpetrators were Army veterans, had previously served at Fort Bragg, and rented their vehicles through the same platform, Turo. However, authorities lean toward the conclusion that these were two “lone wolves,” acting independently with no knowledge of each other’s plans.
The New Orleans attack appears to be religiously motivated, with Jabbar producing ISIS propaganda videos en route to Louisiana. The motive behind the Las Vegas incident, however, remains unclear. Adding to the intrigue, the names of future President Donald Trump and his top adviser Elon Musk surfaced in relation to Livelsberger. His wife had posted anti-Trump slogans during the 2016 campaign, but Livelsberger himself, a highly decorated soldier with five valor medals, seemed aligned with Trump’s MAGA movement. It may simply have been a tragically theatrical suicide.
Political Fallout and Blunders
Donald Trump wasted no time politicizing the tragedy. He attributed the New Orleans bloodbath to what he described as a “migrant-flooded” Biden administration and used the chaos in two major cities as an opportunity to label the United States a “third-world country.” Meanwhile, outgoing President Joe Biden faced backlash for an ill-timed New Year’s message, posted mere hours after the Louisiana attack, wishing Americans a happy new year—a misstep widely criticized on social media.
The horrifying start to 2025 leaves the nation grappling with grief and unanswered questions, as investigators work to piece together the motives and implications of these devastating events.
