After a man who was identified by the FBI as a veteran of the US military, ploughed a pick-up truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens, according to the FBI.
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, which it claims was a “terrorism act,” is looking into the incident at one of the nation’s top tourist spots, and it does not believe the driver was involved in it all.  , However, the federal investigating body has not specified what evidence is being used to make that legal determination.
Here’s what we know about the incident, the suspect, and the latest on the ground.
When and what took place in New Orleans?
- At about 3: 15am (09: 15 GMT) on Wednesday, a rented Ford F-150 pick-up truck drove at high speed into a crowd of New Year’s revellers in New Orleans, according to local police.
- The driver was traveling “very high speed” and “very intentionally,” according to New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.
- “This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could”, Kirkpatrick told reporters. “He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did”, she added.
- The driver jumped out of the car after it was stopped and shot at the responding officers, who both shot back and killed him.
- An explosive device was discovered at the location, according to the FBI, but they are working to determine whether it is useful.
- According to broadcaster CNN, Jabbar appears to have rented the F-150 Lightning electric truck from the website for car rentals.
- Authorities discovered that the same rental website was linked to a Tesla Cybertruck exploding outside a Trump hotel on Wednesday in Las Vegas. It’s not clear if the two incidents are linked.
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 also spent time in Afghanistan between February 2009 and January 2010.
In 2017, he received a degree in computer information systems from Georgia State University.
The vehicle used in the attack had an ISIS (ISIL) flag, according to the FBI. The bureau is trying to determine if Jabbar was associated with any “terrorist” organisations.
Helena Moreno, president of the New Orleans City Council, claimed the suspect had been acting purposefully and was wearing military clothing.
When Jabbar split from his then-wife in 2022, according to court records, his financial situation began to deteriorate. Jabbar said he was $27, 000 behind on house payments, accumulated $16, 000 in credit card debt and wanted to quickly finalise the divorce.
“I have exhausted all means of bringing the loan current other than a loan modification, leaving us no alternative but to sell the house or allow it to go into foreclosure”, he wrote in a January 2022 email to his now-ex-wife’s attorney.
He also worked with consulting firm Deloitte earning about $10, 000 a month. In a statement, Deloitte said Jabbar had “served in a staff-level role” since being hired in 2021 and that the company was doing all it could to assist authorities.
“There’s a number of red flags when you look at this]attack], including the attacker’s age – not really the kind of prototype for an individual to be radicalised. The fact that he was in the US military, so I think it bears caution for sure”, said Colin Clarke from Soufan Center.
“And frankly, authorities have not been good with communications. Numerous false leaks have occurred. Earlier today was revealed that there were more people involved, and then authorities rolled that back”, he told Al Jazeera from Pennsylvania.
Where did the incident happen?
New Orleans, a city in the state of Louisiana’s southwest, was the location of the incident. It lies on the Mississippi River, near the Gulf of Mexico.
The vehicle travelled along Canal Street into Bourbon Street, the heart of the city’s famous French Quarter, a district renowned for its bars, restaurants and jazz history.
One of the biggest New Year’s Eve gathering spots is Bourbon Street, which is well-known worldwide. More than 40 million people visited New Orleans last year, making it a top tourist destination.
The city also had capacity for the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game, which will take place later on Wednesday at the nearby Superdome. Following the attack, the game was delayed for 24 hours.
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 have been killed, and 35 others injured, according to police reports.
Among the wounded are two police officers, who were hurt by the driver’s gunfire.
Zion Parsons, 18, of Gulfport, Mississippi, said he saw the truck “barrelling through, throwing people like in a movie scene, throwing people into the air”.
“Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering”, Parsons, whose friend Nikyra Dedeaux was among those people killed, told the AP.
Princeton University football player Martin “Tiger” Bech is one of the dead.
He was a fierce competitor with unwavering energy, a beloved teammate, and a compassionate friend in every way. In our last conversation, I talked about how happy I was with his growth and success after graduating from Princeton. My love goes to the entire Bech family”, Head Coach of Football , Bob Surace said, according to the Princeton Football website.
Was the New Orleans incident a ‘ terror attack’?
The FBI stated on Wednesday that it is “working with its partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”
“The FBI is working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organisations”, Alethea Duncan, the assistant special agent in charge of the New Orleans FBI, told reporters.
“We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible”, Duncan said. “We are aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associates”.
However, it hasn’t specified what evidence is being used to support that legal conclusion or provide details on a possible motive.
Joe Biden, the president of the US, claimed the FBI had informed him that the suspect had posted videos on social media showing his “desire to kill” and “a desire to kill” with “a desire to kill.”
What is the latest on the ground?
Bourbon Street is cordoned off while the FBI leads the investigations.
Families can check on their loved ones at the University Medical Center, but the local authorities have set up a point there.
Despite the incident, Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy claimed that New Orleans law enforcement is ready for the Superdome’s closure on Wednesday to ensure safety.
Following the attack, US President Joe Biden assured Mayor LaToya Cantrell that the country would support him without a doubt. The White House also confirmed that the president would keep in touch with him.
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