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Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the suspect driver behind the terrorist attack in New Orleans that killed at least 15, acted alone but was inspired by Isis, the FBI revealed.
Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counterterrorism division, said during a briefing that the New Orleans truck attack was “an act of terrorism,” and the attacker was “100% inspired by Isis,” although he acted alone. He added that the FBI is confident at this point that Jabbar “had no accomplices.”
Jabbar’s plan for hurting his family
Jabbar, who drove a truck into a crowd on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans, killing at least 15 people, had declared his support for Isis online, the FBI announced Thursday. He posted several videos on Facebook, detailing his violent plan and radical thinking as he drove from his home in Texas to Louisiana, according to FBI Raia.
Jabbar initially intended to harm his family and friends but altered his plan after becoming worried that the media would not highlight the “war between the believers and the disbelievers,” according to Raia.
Jabbar posted five videos between 1:30 am and just after 3 am on New Year’s Eve, hours before the attack. In the videos, he claimed to have joined ISIS before the summer. He also left a will and testament, according to the FBI.
The attack occurred on Bourbon Street, a popular tourist destination in New Orleans’ French Quarter. While Jabbar initially intended to target his family and friends, he ultimately chose Bourbon Street, and the FBI is still investigating the specific reason behind his choice of location. Police shot and killed Jabbar at the scene.
‘100% inspired by Isis’
Raia said, as quoted by NBC, “This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act,” adding that Jabbar acted alone. “He was 100% inspired by Isis.”
Jabbar places cooler with explosive device
Raia said security video shows Jabbar placing a cooler with an improvised explosive device on Bourbon Street and another one about two blocks away. The devices did not detonate and were later made safe.
According to two senior US law enforcement officials, the bombs, taped inside the coolers, were made from galvanized pipe with end caps and contained nails.
The devices also had receivers for remote firing, the officials added. It remains unclear whether Jabbar attempted to detonate them, whether they malfunctioned, or what his exact plan was.
“We’re confident at this point that he had no accomplices,” Raia added.
Cellphones and laptops recovered
Raia said the FBI recovered three cellphones and two laptops linked to Jabbar, and investigators were working to determine the content of the devices.
FBI gets tips from public
Raia mentioned that the FBI has received over 400 tips from the public, including from New Orleans and other areas, and he encouraged anyone who had interacted with Jabbar to come forward.
“We are examining every aspect of his life,” he said. “Whether you knew Jabbar personally, worked with him, served in the military, or saw him in New Orleans or Texas, we need to speak with you.”
Jabbar’s background
According to US defense officials, Jabbar served on active duty in the Army from 2006 to 2015 and then in the Army Reserve from 2015 to 2020. He deployed to Afghanistan in 2009 and was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant in 2020.
Jabbar had been working for the professional services giant Deloitte in a staff-level role since 2021. He attended Georgia State University from 2015 to 2017 and earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on computer information systems, according to a university spokesperson.
Jabbar’s personal life
Civil records indicate that Jabbar was married twice, with his first marriage ending in 2012 and his second in 2022.
A woman who identified herself as Jabbar’s sister-in-law and requested to remain anonymous said his relatives in Texas were shocked upon hearing the news. “It makes ‘no sense,’” she told NBC News on Wednesday. “He’s the nicest person I’ve ever known.”
“I really don’t know what happened,” she continued. “He was a good man. He takes care of his children and everything.”
The incident
Jabbar drove a Ford F-150 Lightning truck, with a black Isis flag attached to its hitch, onto Bourbon Street early Wednesday. He navigated around a “hard target” area that included officers, barriers, and a car, before plowing into a crowd of revelers. The attack killed at least 15 people and injured at least 35, according to an NBC report. Jabbar was killed in a gunfight with police officers, two of whom were injured but stable.
Investigators believe Jabbar rented the white Ford truck in Houston on Monday and drove it to New Orleans the following evening.
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