NEW ORLEANS — Authorities have reported that a man drove a pickup truck at high speeds into a crowd celebrating the New Year in New Orleans, resulting in a devastating tragedy that claimed the lives of 15 individuals. While the motives behind the attack remain unclear, the FBI is treating it as a possible act of terrorism. This incident reflects a larger trend of so-called “vehicle as a weapon” attacks, which have occurred globally and have led urban planners to implement increased security measures such as concrete barriers in public areas and anti-vehicle designs in new construction projects.
The attack in New Orleans occurred early on January 1, 2025, at around 3:15 a.m. in the popular French Quarter. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was eventually killed in a confrontation with law enforcement. During the investigation, agents discovered several potential explosive devices within the truck, as well as a flag linked to the Islamic State.
Previously, on December 20, 2024, an incident in Magdeburg, Germany, saw five fatalities and over 200 injuries as a car struck a Christmas market. The 50-year-old driver, a Saudi Arabian doctor, had distanced himself from Islam and expressed support for far-right politics.
In another wrenching incident in Zhuhai, China, a 62-year-old man deliberately collided his vehicle with individuals at a sports complex on November 11, 2024, causing 35 deaths—the deadliest attack in China in recent times. The perpetrator, reportedly embittered over a divorce, was sentenced to death for endangering public safety through dangerous actions.
Canada faced its own tragedy on June 6, 2021, when four members of a Muslim family were killed by a pickup truck driven by a white nationalist. The Prime Minister condemned the act as a hate-fueled terrorist attack. The perpetrator, Nathaniel Veltman, was ultimately sentenced to life imprisonment.
Prior to that, in April 2018, Alek Minassian, a 25-year-old Canadian man, rammed a rental van into pedestrians in Toronto, resulting in 10 deaths and 16 injuries. He identified as part of an “incel” community of frustrated men, later receiving a life sentence.
In Manhattan on October 31, 2017, Uzbek national Sayfullo Saipov drove a pickup truck onto a bike path, killing eight individuals. He faced federal terrorism charges and was sentenced to multiple life terms in prison.
Spain also experienced a similar tragedy on August 17, 2017, when a man drove a van into crowds on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, resulting in 14 deaths. The Islamic State later claimed responsibility for this attack, and another incident in the nearby town of Cambrils also led to fatalities.
In the United States, during a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12, 2017, white supremacist James Alex Fields Jr. drove into a crowd of counter-protesters. This heinous act killed one woman and left many others injured, for which he was sentenced to life behind bars.
On June 19, 2017, in London, Darren Osborne, influenced by far-right ideologies, drove a van into Muslims outside a mosque, killing one individual and injuring several others, which led to a life sentence.
Earlier, on June 3, 2017, three attackers used a van to mow down pedestrians on London Bridge before engaging in a stabbing spree, resulting in eight deaths.
A significant event occurred on March 22, 2017, when Khalid Masood, a British citizen, hit pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing four before stabbing a police officer. He was subsequently shot dead by police.
In Melbourne, Australia, on January 20, 2017, a driver struck lunchtime crowds at a pedestrian mall, which resulted in six deaths and more than 30 injuries. The perpetrator was found to be suffering from drug-induced psychosis and received a life sentence.
Earlier incidents include the Berlin Christmas market attack on December 19, 2016, where a truck driven by Anis Amri, a rejected asylum-seeker, caused 13 deaths and numerous injuries. Shortly after, he was killed in a shootout in Italy.
The Nice attack on July 14, 2016, saw a man drive a rented truck along the crowded promenade, killing 86 people on Bastille Day—an event deemed the deadliest attack of its kind. He was neutralized by police, but several accomplices later faced justice.
In Apeldoorn, Netherlands, on April 28, 2009, a former security guard drove into parade-goers attempting to reach a royal bus, resulting in six deaths and leaving the circumstances of his motives largely unknown after he succumbed to injuries the following day.
The horrors didn’t stop there, as on March 3, 2006, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Mohammed Taheri-Azar used an SUV to strike a crowd at the University of North Carolina, lightly injuring nine individuals as a misguided attempt to avenge perceived wrongs against Muslims overseas. He received a sentence of up to 33 years.
