A suspect accused of a deadly terrorist attack on New Year’s Day in New Orleans has been identified.The FBI has identified the suspect accused of carrying out the attack as Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, a U.S. citizen of Texas.The New York Times and NBC News first reported his identity. According to the FBI, Jabbar drove a pickup truck into the crowd, killing at least 15 people and injuring at least 30 people.Authorities called the French Quarter attack an act of terrorism.Below is everything we know about Jabbar.Suspect killed in firefight with police The FBI says after hitting the crowd, he got out of the car and began firing at law enforcement. Shots were returned by law enforcement and Jabbar was killed at the scene. Suspect was armed, had explosive devicesGuns and pipe bombs were found in the suspect’s vehicle, according to a Louisiana State Police bulletin. The devices were concealed within coolers and wired for remote detonation with a remote control that also was found in the vehicle, the bulletin said.An ISIS flag was located in the truck. The FBI is working to determine if the suspect had associations or affiliations with the terrorist organization. According to the FBI, agents do not believe he acted alone.The FBI said other potential explosive devices were also located in the French Quarter. According to the intelligence bulletin, surveillance footage captured three men and a woman placing one of multiple improvised explosive devices.Suspect was an Army veteranThe FBI confirmed that Jabbar was an Army veteran.Jabbar enlisted in the Army in March 2007, working in both human resources and information technology. He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, then transferred into the U.S. Army Reserve in 2015, the service said in a statement. Jabbar served until July 2020, leaving the military with the rank of staff sergeant.Suspect truck had Texas tag and was not localAccording to the FBI, Jabbar was driving a Ford pickup truck with a Texas tag.The FBI believes that Jabbar rented the truck. However, they are working to confirm how he got the vehicle. Biden says attacker posted video indicating he was inspired by the Islamic State groupWhile addressing the nation from Camp David, President Joe Biden said the New Orleans attacker had posted video on social media indicating the Islamic State group inspired him.Biden said the man had expressed a “desire to kill.”He said the investigation remained fluid.The president said: “I grieve with you. Our nation grieves with you.” Suspect had ties to Houston areaMultiple law enforcement sources told the Houston Chronicle that Jabbar was from the Houston area and reported public records that listed multiple addresses for him in the region. The Chronicle reported that police responded to one of those addresses, describing it as “a gated street teeming with loose chickens, ducks and goats outside several mobile homes.” One officer identified himself as a Houston police officer assigned to an FBI task force, the Chronicle reported. Other people in street clothes and unmarked vehicles declined to identify themselves but cited safety concerns when they urged journalists to back away from a home on the property, which consisted of multiple structures.The Associated Press contributed to this story. The Houston Chronicle is owned by Hearst Television’s parent company. Some of its content may be hidden by a subscriber paywall.
A suspect accused of a deadly terrorist attack on New Year’s Day in New Orleans has been identified.
The FBI has identified the suspect accused of carrying out the attack as Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, a U.S. citizen of Texas.
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The New York Times and NBC News first reported his identity.
According to the FBI, Jabbar drove a pickup truck into the crowd, killing at least 15 people and injuring at least 30 people.
Authorities called the French Quarter attack an act of terrorism.
Below is everything we know about Jabbar.
Suspect killed in firefight with police
The FBI says after hitting the crowd, he got out of the car and began firing at law enforcement. Shots were returned by law enforcement and Jabbar was killed at the scene.
Suspect was armed, had explosive devices
Guns and pipe bombs were found in the suspect’s vehicle, according to a Louisiana State Police bulletin. The devices were concealed within coolers and wired for remote detonation with a remote control that also was found in the vehicle, the bulletin said.
An ISIS flag was located in the truck. The FBI is working to determine if the suspect had associations or affiliations with the terrorist organization.
According to the FBI, agents do not believe he acted alone.
The FBI said other potential explosive devices were also located in the French Quarter. According to the intelligence bulletin, surveillance footage captured three men and a woman placing one of multiple improvised explosive devices.
Suspect was an Army veteran
The FBI confirmed that Jabbar was an Army veteran.
Jabbar enlisted in the Army in March 2007, working in both human resources and information technology. He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, then transferred into the U.S. Army Reserve in 2015, the service said in a statement. Jabbar served until July 2020, leaving the military with the rank of staff sergeant.
Suspect truck had Texas tag and was not local
According to the FBI, Jabbar was driving a Ford pickup truck with a Texas tag.
The FBI believes that Jabbar rented the truck. However, they are working to confirm how he got the vehicle.
Biden says attacker posted video indicating he was inspired by the Islamic State group
While addressing the nation from Camp David, President Joe Biden said the New Orleans attacker had posted video on social media indicating the Islamic State group inspired him.
Biden said the man had expressed a “desire to kill.”
He said the investigation remained fluid.
The president said: “I grieve with you. Our nation grieves with you.”
Suspect had ties to Houston area
Multiple law enforcement sources told the Houston Chronicle that Jabbar was from the Houston area and reported public records that listed multiple addresses for him in the region.
The Chronicle reported that police responded to one of those addresses, describing it as “a gated street teeming with loose chickens, ducks and goats outside several mobile homes.”
One officer identified himself as a Houston police officer assigned to an FBI task force, the Chronicle reported.
Other people in street clothes and unmarked vehicles declined to identify themselves but cited safety concerns when they urged journalists to back away from a home on the property, which consisted of multiple structures.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
The Houston Chronicle is owned by Hearst Television’s parent company. Some of its content may be hidden by a subscriber paywall.
