What We Know About New Orleans Assault Suspect

A Texas man has been named because the suspect within the lethal New Orleans assault on New 12 months’s Day, which has killed not less than 15 folks. 

The assault, which is now thought of an act of terrorism by the FBI, occurred at 3:15 a.m. native time when the pickup truck pushed by the deceased topic — recognized by the FBI as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas — plowed via the crowded Bourbon Road space.

“At roughly 3:15 a.m. CST, a person drove a pickup truck right into a crowd of individuals on Bourbon Road in New Orleans,” the FBI stated in a assertion. “After hitting the group, he exited the car and fired upon native regulation enforcement. Legislation enforcement returned hearth, and the topic was pronounced deceased on the scene.”

“He was driving a Ford pickup truck, which seems to have been rented, and we’re working to substantiate how the topic got here into possession of the car,” the FBI continued.

After he crashed the car, Jabbar was concerned in a police shootout which left two officers injured, however in steady situation. The New Orleans Police Division beforehand confirmed to PEOPLE that the motive force died within the alternate. 

As particulars proceed to emerge about Jabbar and the assault, here is what we all know to date.

In response to a number of U.S. protection officers, Jabbar was a U.S. Military veteran who served on energetic obligation from the mid-2000s to 2015, reported NBC Information and CNN. Whereas on energetic obligation, he was a human assets specialist and data expertise specialist, in response to CNN.

He was then within the Military Reserves till 2020, per the retailers.

Whereas on energetic obligation in 2009, Jabbar was deployed to Afghanistan in 2009, the place he served as an administrative clerk earlier than he was discharged in 2020 as a employees sergeant, officers stated, reported NBC Information.

“We consider he was honorably discharged, however we’re working via this course of, determining all this data,” stated Alethea Duncan, an assistant FBI particular agent, throughout a Wednesday press convention, in response to CNN.

Jabbar was married twice, in response to NBC Information, which reported that his first divorce occurred in 2012, whereas a second petition for divorce was filed in 2021 and finalized the next 12 months.

Texas information present that Jabbar was beforehand charged with misdemeanor theft in 2002 and for driving with an invalid license in 2005, in response to the New York Occasions.

Throughout Wednesday’s press convention, authorities stated they don’t consider that Jabbar was “solely accountable” for the assault and so they, together with the FBI, are asking for the general public’s assist with any data.

The FBI additionally confirmed the presence of an obvious ISIS flag within the Ford pickup truck used within the assault and are “working to find out the topic’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations,” the information launch stated.

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The federal company went on to notice that “weapons and a possible IED had been positioned within the topic’s car” and that extra potential IEDs had been discovered within the French Quarter. 

“The FBI’s particular agent bomb technicians are working with our regulation enforcement companions to find out if any of those units are viable, and they’re going to work to render these units protected,” authorities stated within the launch.

Citing a number of officers briefed on the investigation, CNN reported that Jabar made numerous video recordings earlier than the assault during which he reportedly talked about ISIS and his divorce.

A digital tip line by the FBI has been arrange at: www.fbi.gov/bourbonstreetattack or calls might be positioned to 1-800-CALL-FBI.