NEW ORLEANS — A man inspired by the Islamic State carried out a deadly attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, killing 14 people and injuring numerous others in a truck rampage. Bodycam footage released on Friday reveals that the assailant fired at officers from inside his vehicle before they shot him dead.
Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick praised the actions of the officers involved, calling them “national heroes” during a press conference.
The attacker, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, steered his white F-150 past a police blockade at the entrance of Bourbon Street, a popular celebration spot, and drove into a crowd at approximately 3:15 a.m. on January 1st.
Following the crash, officer Christian Beyer was seen standing beside Jabbar’s open driver’s door with his weapon drawn, as shown in footage recorded by officer Luis Robles, who approached the scene. Another officer, Jacobie Jordan, was also nearby, weapon at the ready, according to official statements.
Sgt. Mike Guasco explained that Officer Beyer identified himself and ordered Jabbar to exit the truck. Jabbar then fired at close range, with the flash of the gun visible, prompting Robles and other officers to take cover behind nearby objects as gunfire erupted.
Both Beyer and Jordan returned fire, along with a third officer, Sgt. Nigel Daggs, who was positioned at the front passenger side of the truck, but whose actions were not visible in the footage.
Kirkpatrick noted that officers receive extensive training for such split-second scenarios. She stated that initial details regarding how many shots Jabbar had fired would be withheld due to the ongoing investigations and litigation. She did confirm, however, that the responding officers adhered to established protocols and are back on active duty.
The officers involved include Daggs, who has two decades of experience, along with Beyer and Jordan, who have been with the department for nearly two years. Jordan and another officer, Joseph Rodrigue, sustained injuries—both were shot in the thighs, and Rodrigue’s shoulder was fractured. Kirkpatrick did not clarify if friendly fire affected any officers or bystanders.
Statements from officers regarding their perspectives on the events have been collected by investigators, although Kirkpatrick declined to provide further details as the inquiry remains in progress with the FBI.
She chose not to divulge information about security measures in place during the incident or the number of officers present in the vicinity. On Thursday, a group of victims initiated a lawsuit against the city and two contractors, asserting their negligence in providing adequate security that might have averted the attack.
“I will answer any and all questions through the investigations, and the outcomes will be made public,” Kirkpatrick said, adding that additional bodycam footage will eventually be released once the review is complete.
