Tragic Incident In New Orleans: Man Drives Into Crowd in Alleged Terror Attack
BEAUMONT, Texas — Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old veteran and U.S. citizen, lived a life marked by multiple career changes and personal struggles. He grew up in Texas, served in the U.S. Army, and later operated a real estate business in Houston, where he earned approximately $120,000 annually as an employee for one of the world’s leading consulting firms.
However, his recent life was fraught with challenges. In 2022, Jabbar completed a third divorce amid claims of financial instability, including trouble paying his mortgage and a struggling business. The implications of these hardships are now being examined in light of a tragic event that occurred during the New Year celebrations in New Orleans, where he drove a rented Ford F-150 into a crowd, resulting in the death of 14 people and injuries to at least 30 others. Authorities have deemed this incident as one of the most significant IS-inspired attacks on U.S. soil in years.
FBI reports indicate that Jabbar posted several videos on his Facebook account shortly before the incident, expressing admiration for the Islamic State. In the truck, investigators also discovered an Islamic State flag, adding to the evidence suggesting his actions were motivated by extremist ideology.
Abdur-Rahim Jabbar, one of Shamsud-Din’s brothers, expressed disbelief over his brother’s actions, noting that they were inconsistent with his personality as perceived by family and friends. “It’s completely contradictory to who he was and how his family and his friends know him,” Abdur-Rahim stated, emphasizing that he had not witnessed any signs of radicalization in their communications over the last few months.
According to law enforcement, after crashing into the crowd, Jabbar exited the vehicle wearing a ballistic vest and helmet, subsequently firing at police officers, which resulted in injuries to at least two officers before he was shot dead in return fire.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s life included time stationed in various states, including North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, and Alaska. He joined the Army in 2007, specializing in human resources and information technology, and served a deployment in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. After transferring to the Army Reserve in 2015, he earned the rank of staff sergeant before his discharge in 2020. Additionally, he attended Georgia State University, where he graduated with a degree in computer information systems in 2017.
Throughout his adult life, Jabbar had been married multiple times and was the father of at least three children, as seen in his divorce and custody filings. His recent marriages in Georgia and Texas each lasted about three years, presenting a pattern of instability in his personal life.
Dwayne Marsh, the spouse of one of Jabbar’s ex-wives, commented that Jabbar had exhibited strange behavior in recent months, leading him and his wife to restrict their daughters’ time with him. Attempts to reach Jabbar’s other ex-wives and his mother for comments were unsuccessful as of Thursday afternoon.
Legal documents reveal that in January 2022, Jabbar was struggling with significant financial problems, claiming to be over $27,000 in arrears on his mortgage. He expressed a desire to expedite the divorce process, fearing foreclosure on his home. His business endeavors were also under duress, with reports indicating losses amounting to $28,000 for one of his companies in 2021 and accumulating credit card debt reaching $16,000 related to business expenses.
Despite the turbulence suggested by these financial and personal issues, Abdur-Rahim Jabbar noted that he had not observed any outward signs of distress or anger in his brother’s behavior. He speculated that Jabbar may have felt more regret than bitterness regarding his divorces.
Childhood friend and fellow veteran Chris Pousson shared that his interactions with Jabbar over the years showcased positivity and devotion to his faith, with no indications of violent tendencies. “I never saw this coming… He didn’t give anything to me that would have suggested that he is capable of doing what happened,” Pousson remarked, reinforcing the unexpected nature of Jabbar’s actions.
As investigations continue, law enforcement has secured the area surrounding Jabbar’s last known residence, a mobile home in Houston, wrapped in a compound where animals roamed freely. The FBI has completed its initial search of the premises but has yet to release further information regarding their findings.
