A vehicle plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter early Wednesday, leaving at least 15 dead and 30 injured. The incident occurred in the early morning hours. Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver was “trying to run over as many people as he possibly could.”
The driver was killed in a shootout with police following the attack. Two officers also sustained injuries. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is leading the investigation and has classified the incident as an act of terrorism.
The FBI confirmed the suspect’s death in a statement, saying, “This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others. The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”
The incident
The incident occurred around 3:15 am local time as people celebrated the New Year in New Orleans’ French Quarter. The suspect drove a white Ford F-150 electric pickup truck into a crowd of pedestrians. After exiting the vehicle, the suspect exchanged gunfire with police and was killed. Two officers sustained injuries but are expected to recover. The FBI reported finding and neutralizing two homemade bombs at the scene.
Police chief Shaun Kirkpatrick said that the driver “was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”
The attack caused a 24-hour delay for the Sugar Bowl, a college football game between the University of Georgia and Notre Dame, scheduled for later that day.
Driver ‘Intentionally’ rams truck into crowd
The truck driver intentionally drove into a crowd at high speed, according to Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick. “This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could,” Kirkpatrick told reporters. She said the truck was driven “at very high speed” and in a “very intentional” manner. The driver “was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry called the incident a “horrific act of violence.”
Heavy policing
New Year’s Eve saw a large police presence in the city due to anticipated crowds. The city police department deployed all its officers “100 percent,” with an additional 300 officers assisting from partner law enforcement agencies. Some officers patrolled on horseback and in unmarked vehicles.
Who was the suspect?
A 42-year-old Texas man and Army veteran has been identified as the suspect in the attack. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US citizen, was identified by the FBI. He appears to have worked as a real estate agent in Houston and served as an IT specialist in the military.
The attack prompted a manhunt. FBI agent Alethea Duncan said, “We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible.”
Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick called Jabbar a “terrorist.” An ISIS flag was found in a vehicle at the scene, according to the FBI. The agency is investigating Jabbar’s potential ties to terrorist groups.
Jabbar served in the Army and Army Reserve between 2007 and 2020, the Pentagon confirmed. His military service included a deployment to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. He reached the rank of Staff Sergeant.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said, “We’re hunting some bad people down.”
Biden and Trump respond to attack
Following the attack, US President Joe Biden and President-elect Donald Trump issued statements. Biden declared that his administration “will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
Trump connected the attack to illegal immigration without providing evidence. His statement came before officials confirmed the suspect’s American citizenship. Trump also incorrectly said the nation’s crime rate “is at a level that nobody has ever seen.” FBI data shows violent crime has decreased nationally.
Witnesses’ accounts
Witnesses described the horrific scene of the attack. Zion Parsons told CNN, “The best way I can describe it is truly a war zone. There were bodies and blood and all the trash.” He added, “People were terrified, running, screaming.”
Another witness, Jimmy Cothran, told ABC that the aftermath was “insanity.” Cothran said, “We instantly counted, I’d say, 10 bodies — six clearly graphically deceased, and the others yelling with no one around.”
