An act of terrorism struck on Bourbon Street in New Orleans early morning of New Year’s Day. As of recent, at least fifteen people have been pronounced dead, and dozens of others were injured after a pickup truck plowed through a crowd of partiers on Bourbon Street. The FBI has identified the victim and declared this incident an act of terrorism, and it will be investigated as such. They are currently looking into whether there are any others involved. Police have yet to identify any of the victims, but the list of deceased seems to be growing by the hour. They will release further information as soon as they identify and notify all the victims’ families.
Attack on Bourbon Street
Shortly after 3 a.m. on New Year’s Day, a truck plowed through a crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street in New Orleans, leaving dozens of lives ruined. City officials report that at least fifteen people were killed and thirty-five people were injured, including a police officer. The suspect has been identified as Shamsud Din Jabbar. He was killed after jumping out of the truck and engaging in a shootout with the police. A couple of officers were injured during that altercation but are in stable condition. Hopefully, no other people lose their lives to the injuries they sustained from this horrific incident.
According to Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Jabbar rented the truck used in the New Orleans attack on December 30 in Houston. From there, he drove to New Orleans and waited until the New Year. The investigation is ongoing and will continue to develop in Texas and Louisiana. Law enforcement officials are sifting through surveillance footage and originally suspected that three men and one woman had placed multiple improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in the French Quarter. These individuals are no longer suspectbut the FBI cautioned that they don’t believe that Jabbar acted alone. The hidden devices were allegedly wired for remote control, and a remote control was found inside the truck that plowed through Bourbon Street.
The New Orleans Terrorist
A spokesperson reported to Fox News that 42-year-old Jabbar served in the U.S. Army from 2007 to 2020. In regards to Jabbar’s military history, the spokesperson said, “Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar was in the regular Army as a Human Resource Specialist (42A) and Information Technology (IT) Specialist (25B) from March 2007 until January 2015 and then in the Army Reserve as an IT Specialist (25B) from January 2015 until July 2020.” He continued, “He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. He held the rank of Staff Sergeant at the end of service.”
Jabbar was presented with multiple service awards, including the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, and a National Defense Service Medal. His motive for committing this act of terror is unknown at this time, and the FBI is searching for other suspects who might have been involved or whether this is part of a bigger scheme. Texas officials have also been included in the investigation after finding the suspect has ties to the state.
Final Thoughts
The 2025 Sugar Bowl, which was supposed to begin on New Year’s Day just outside the French Quarter, has been postponed for at least 24 hours. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry issued an emergency declaration after the act of terrorism in New Orleans. The Louisiana National Guard was ordered to work closely with federal authorities to ensure the safety of the residents and guests of the state. Texas Governor Greg Abbott also directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to investigate the attack since it seems Jabbar was a resident of Texas.
The FBI is investigating this attack on New Orleans as an act of terror. According to New Orleans FBI agent Alethea Duncan, “An ISIS flag was located on the trailer hitch of the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliation to the terrorist organization.” A Glock handgun and .308 caliber rifle equipped with optics and a sensor were also recovered from the scene of the crime. During the press conference, she stated they are exhausting all leads and all routes to identify Jabbar’s motive and if he has any accomplices. However, to do so, they request help from the public to provide any information they have.
