Truck plows through New Orleans crowd, suspect identified

Pierre Paulden, Chris Strohm and Myles Miller, Bloomberg News on Jan 1, 2025

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At least 10 people were killed and more than 30 injured after a pickup truck barreled through the French Quarter in New Orleans in what authorities are describing as a deliberate act of violence during New Year’s celebrations.

The attack occurred around 3:15 a.m. on Wednesday near the intersection of Canal and Bourbon streets, New Orleans police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said at a press conference.

The FBI said the suspect is dead after engaging with local law enforcement. The bureau said in a statement that it is investigating the incident as an “act of terrorism.”

It identified the suspect as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas. The FBI said he was driving a Ford pickup truck that appeared to be rented.

The bureau also said that an Islamic State flag was in the vehicle and that the agency is working to determine any potential associations or affiliations Jabbar may have had with terrorist groups.

Two improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, were found in the suspect’s vehicle, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the developments who asked not to be identified.

Additional potential IEDs were also found in the city’s French Quarter neighborhood, the FBI said.

The attack left a trail of destruction. Police said the suspect bypassed barricades and fired on officers after crashing his vehicle. Two officers were shot but are in stable condition.

“He was hell bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” said Kirkpatrick, adding that reports of injuries were still coming in.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell condemned the attack, calling it a “terrorist act” and saying that she has been in direct contact with the White House, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, and a unified command team that was operating on the scene.

“The city of New Orleans was impacted by a terrorist attack,” Cantrell said.

Landry described the incident in a post on social media as a “horrific act of violence.”

President Joe Biden called the New Orleans mayor Wednesday morning to offer full federal support following the news overnight. According to the White House, the president was briefed on the latest developments by senior law enforcement officials from the FBI and his homeland security team, and will continue to be briefed on the incident throughout the day.

“I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind,” Biden said in a statement.

New Orleans is renowned for its New Year’s celebrations, which draw thousands to the bar-lined French Quarter each year, with live music and fireworks. The city was set to host college football’s Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome on Wednesday with a parade through the French Quarter.

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(With assistance from Akayla Gardner.)