New Orleans Terrorist Attack on New Year’s Day: What We Know

Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42 years old Army veteran, drove into a crowd on a boardwalk in the heart of New Orleans around 3:15 a.m. local time on New Year’s Day. After crashing his pickup truck, he began shooting into the crowd.

Jabbar, a US citizen from Texaswas wearing tactical gear when he was shot and killed by police officers, according to New Orleans Police Department officials Two of them were shot but are in stable condition at a local hospital.

FBI The case’s lead investigator, Aletha Duncan, told reporters at a Wednesday news conference that the office was “investigating this case as an act of terrorism,” changing her stance as of Wednesday morning.

According to the FBI, Jabbar rented a truck in Houston, Texas, on December 30 from a car-sharing company and then drove to New Orleans. The car’s owner is reportedly cooperating with law enforcement.

Police determined that an Islamic State flag was attached to the floor of the attacker’s pickup truck and covered by an evidence bag, as seen in crime scene photos released early Wednesday morning. Duncan told reporters that federal law enforcement was investigating Jabbar’s “potential ties and affiliations” with terrorist organizations.

According to FBI Deputy Assistant Christopher Rai, a video posted online by Jabbar shows that he initially planned to attack his family, but changed his plans to draw more media attention to the “war between believers and nonbelievers.”

Local news 4WWL reported Wednesday afternoon that law enforcement had surrounded an Airbnb in the St. Louis neighborhood. Claude in New Orleans, approximately 2 miles from Bourbon Street. Two computers associated with Jabbar and three cell phones were found in the unit.

At the press conference, law enforcement officials did not disclose details of Airbnb’s location.

Duncan told the public that two improvised explosive devices were identified and neutralized in the city and that law enforcement was dispatched to monitor for additional devices.

The FBI says Jabbar acted alone

Although Jabbar was initially believed to have co-conspirators, the FBI confirmed at a news conference Thursday that Jabbar acted alone. Officials also said there was no definitive link between the New Orleans attack and the Las Vegas incident in which a man blew up a cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel, injuring seven people.

We encourage civilians to report to the FBI any interactions they had with Jabbar in the last 72 hours through the bureau electronic tip form or by calling the hotline 1-800-CALL-FBI.

During a Wednesday afternoon news conference, Gov. Jeff Landry (R-LA) was frustrated by reporters who repeatedly asked questions about the details of the investigation, including the number of additional attackers.

“It’s a very smooth process,” Landry said, adding that no information would be released that would complicate the investigation.

“We’re going after these people and securing the city,” Landry said.

Dream. John Kennedy (R-LA) said he would “raise hell” if the FBI withheld information about the attack or swept it under the rug, but acknowledged that information about the investigation could not be released to the press.

“Get these people,” Kennedy said of law enforcement. “Catch these people and then tell the American people the truth.”

Sugar Bowl postponed to Thursday

Officials with the Sugar Bowl commission told reporters Wednesday afternoon that the New Year’s Day football game would be rescheduled for Thursday afternoon.

The game was originally scheduled for New Year’s Day at 7:45 p.m. local time, but the commission elected to postpone it in consultation with federal law enforcement, ESPN and other college football stakeholders.

“There’s too much we don’t know and it’s just not worth it,” Kennedy said.

University of Georgia President Jere Morehead announced on social media that a student at his university was among those confirmed injured in the attack.

The University of Georgia football team is in New Orleans to compete in the Sugar Bowl college football game.

“I spoke with the student’s family and shared my concerns, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community,” Morehead said.

Morehead did not name the student, but identified him as a member of the university band.

Landry told reporters he would be at the Sugar Bowl game on Thursday night and assured the public that law enforcement officials would ensure the event was safe. However, the state’s attorney general spoke up worries that the match should be postponed by one day.

Violation of the safety of bollards on the promenade

Early Wednesday morning, reports began circulating that bollards, or barricades, protecting the pedestrian malls on Bourbon Street should be raised to prevent vehicles from harming civilians.

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell told reporters that the current bollards were installed more than 10 years ago as part of a city infrastructure project, and NOPD has long considered the current system to be inefficient due to wear and tear.

According to Cantrell, infrastructure projects preparing for the Super Bowl on Feb. 9 include replacing bollards that were ineffective for New Year’s Eve celebrations due to construction that was scheduled to be completed early. Super Bowl.

NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick told reporters that additional police officers were present during New Year’s Eve celebrations at all locations where cones were deemed potentially dangerous targets.

Kirkpatrick also told reporters that Jabbar intentionally drove onto sidewalks to enter a pedestrian crossing, bypassing temporary barricades.

“We did have a plan, but the terrorist blew it,” Kirkpatrick said.

Landry told reporters that the lack of poles was “one of the first things he thought about this morning” when he began coordinating with Cantrell around 3:45 a.m. local time.

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“Whatever the problem was, it will be solved,” Landry said. “The solution we come up with will be sustainable.”

Cantrell told reporters she spoke with President Joe Biden, other mayors across the United States and world leaders, and they all sent their thoughts, prayers and best wishes to the city.