At least 15 people have been killed and dozens injured after a man, identified by the FBI as a United States military veteran, rammed a truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, United States.
The suspect, who has since been killed in a police shootout, has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US citizen from the state of Texas.
The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of “terrorism” and said it does not believe the driver acted alone in the attack on one of the country’s top tourist destinations.
US President Joe Biden said on Wednesday that the FBI had informed him that the suspect had posted videos on social media that showed he was inspired by the Islamic State (ISIL) armed group, expressing a “desire to kill”.
Here’s what we know about the incident, the suspect and the latest on the ground.
What happened in New Orleans and when?
- Around 3:15 a.m. (09:15 GMT) on Wednesday, a rented Ford F-150 pickup truck plowed into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in New Orleans at high speed, according to local police.
- New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver swerved around the barricades and was driving at a “very high rate of speed” and in a “very deliberate” manner.
- After the car stopped, the driver jumped out of the vehicle and fired at responding officers, who shot and killed him.
- Hours after the attack, three paramedic vans stood at the scene of the car crash, surrounded by police tape as tourists gathered nearby.
- The FBI said they found an explosive device at the site, but are working to confirm whether or not it is viable.
- New Orleans police said more than 300 other officers were on duty at the time of the incident to manage New Year’s Eve crowds.
- New Orleans Department of Public Works projects show that steel poles and safety barriers along Bourbon Street were being replaced when the truck passed through the area. However, speaking to WWL-TV, City Council President Helena Moreno said the attacker likely would have found a way to kill whether the barriers were there or not.
- Jabbar appears to have rented the electric F-150 Lightning truck from rental car website Turo, according to broadcaster CNN.
- Authorities discovered the same rental website was linked to Wednesday’s incident in Las Vegas, where a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside a Trump hotel. The driver of the Tesla truck was killed in the explosion. Authorities are still investigating whether the cyber truck incident was a ‘terrorist’ attack.
Who is the suspect?
The FBI identified the suspect as 42-year-old Jabbar, who served in the US military between 2007 and 2020. He was also deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010.
An ISIL (ISIS) flag was found in the vehicle along with weapons and possible explosive devices, the FBI said in a statement.
“An ISIS flag was placed on the vehicle and the FBI is working to determine the subject’s possible associations and connections with terrorist organizations,” he said.
New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno said the suspect was wearing full military fatigues and police described his actions as deliberate.
“This man was trying to run over as many people as he could,” Kirkpatrick, the police superintendent, told reporters Wednesday.
“He was determined to create the carnage and damage he did,” she added.
He graduated from Georgia State University in 2017 with a degree in computer information systems.
Where did the event happen?
The event took place in New Orleans, a city in the southwestern state of Louisiana. It lies on the Mississippi River, near the Gulf of Mexico.
The vehicle traveled along Canal Street to Bourbon Street, in the heart of the city’s famous French Quarter, a neighborhood known for its bars, restaurants and jazz history.
Bourbon Street is known around the world as one of the biggest New Year’s Eve destinations, and the area had listed special New Year’s Eve offerings, including LGBTQ parties and a cabaret pulled up near where the incident took place.
The city also hosted crowds awaiting the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game later Wednesday at the nearby Superdome. The match was postponed for 24 hours after the attack.
New Orleans, nicknamed “The Big Easy” for its lively and laid-back lifestyle, is also a major tourist destination in the US.
However, it has faced past incidents including shootings and vehicle collisions with crowds, such as two shootings in November 2024 that left two dead and 10 injured during a parade.
How many people were killed?
At least 15 people were killed and 35 others were injured, according to police reports.
Among the wounded are two policemen, who were injured by the driver’s shots.
Zion Parsons, 18, of Gulfport, Mississippi, said he saw the truck “barrel by, throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people in the air.”
“Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, all screaming and yelling,” Parsons, whose friend Nikyra Dedeaux was among those killed, told the AP.
Among the dead is Princeton University football player Martin “Tiger” Bech.
“He was a ‘Tiger’ in every way – a fierce competitor with endless energy, a loving teammate and a caring friend. Our last conversation was about how proud I was of the growth he showed during his time at Princeton and the success he was having after graduation. My love goes out to the entire Bech family,” head football coach Bob Surace said, according to the Princeton Football website.
Was the New Orleans incident a ‘terrorist attack’?
The FBI said Wednesday it is working with its partners “to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”
“The FBI is working to determine the subject’s possible associations and connections with terrorist organizations,” Alethea Duncan, assistant special agent in charge of the New Orleans FBI, told reporters.
“We don’t believe Jabbar was solely responsible,” Duncan said. “We are aggressively discounting any leads, including those of his known associates.”
However, she did not specify what evidence was used to make that legal determination, and information about a possible motive has not been released.
What is the newest in the field?
The FBI is leading the investigation and Bourbon Street is under siege.
Local authorities have set up a gathering point at the University Medical Center for families checking on loved ones.
Despite the incident, Louisiana Sen. Bill Cassidy said law enforcement in New Orleans is prepared for Wednesday’s Sugar Bowl, with the Superdome now on lockdown to ensure security.
US President Joe Biden assured Mayor LaToya Cantrell of full federal support following the attack, with the White House confirming the president will receive ongoing updates.
US President-elect Donald Trump also offered condolences, calling the attack an “act of pure evil”.
