Law enforcement officials have identified Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, as the suspect behind the deadly New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans’ French Quarter that left 10 people dead and 35 injured.
The attack, which occurred around 3:15 a.m. on Bourbon Street, saw Jabbar allegedly drive a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers before a shootout with police ended his life.
Witnesses described the horrifying moment the truck barreled through the packed street, forcing people to flee into nearby bars or jump to safety. “We heard the truck barrel by as more people piled in,” said local resident Jimmy Cothran, who witnessed the chaos from a nightclub balcony.
Law enforcement officials reported finding weapons and a potential improvised explosive device (IED) in Jabbar’s vehicle. The FBI is leading the investigation and working to determine if the devices were operational and connected to the attack.
Preliminary reports suggest Jabbar, a U.S. citizen born in Texas, had a black flag affixed to the hitch of the truck, which authorities are investigating for possible ties to ISIS.
Authorities are treating the incident as both a crime scene and a potential terrorist attack. Federal and local officials are examining whether Jabbar used a long gun to fire into the crowd during the attack, according to three senior law enforcement sources.
“We’re leaning in. We will be relentless, and we will do everything that it takes to render real justice,” New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said during a press briefing.
Officials are also investigating the discovery of at least two possible IEDs in the vicinity of the attack.
A woman identifying herself as Jabbar’s sister-in-law expressed disbelief over the incident. “It don’t make no sense,” she said. “He’s the nicest person I’ve ever known. He takes care of his children and everything.”
She said family members from Texas were traveling to New Orleans.
In the wake of the attack, U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., called for prayers for the victims and first responders. “Please join me in praying for the victims and their families, as well as our first responders, in the wake of this horrific act of violence on Bourbon Street,” Scalise said in a statement on social media.
The investigation remains active, with federal and local agencies working together to uncover the full scope of the attack.
