2-1-2025 (NEW ORLEANS) A horrific attack in the heart of New Orleans’ historic French Quarter has left 15 dead and approximately 30 injured after a former US Army veteran, allegedly inspired by ISIS, drove a truck into New Year’s Day crowds.
The perpetrator, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a Texas resident and Afghanistan war veteran, met his end in an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement after deliberately circumventing security barriers to target revellers at the bustling intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets.
The incident, which occurred at approximately 3:15 AM local time, has prompted a massive investigation involving local and federal authorities. The FBI discovered an ISIS flag affixed to the suspect’s rented vehicle, alongside weapons and potential explosive devices, suggesting possible ties to terrorist organisations.
FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan confirmed investigators are pursuing multiple leads, stating, “We are operating under the strong belief that Jabbar did not act alone.” The investigation has led to the discovery and safe disposal of two additional suspect devices in the Quarter.
???? JUST IN: New surveillance video shows the New Orleans attacker FLYING down Bourbon Street in New Orleans, causing mass panic
This is horrifying to watch. pic.twitter.com/5NZ5brnbgl
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 1, 2025
The attack has forced a 24-hour postponement of the Sugar Bowl match between Notre Dame and Georgia, as authorities conduct thorough sweeps for additional threats. Questions have also arisen regarding security measures for the upcoming Super Bowl, scheduled for 9 February in the city.
President Biden, addressing the nation, described the attack as “despicable” and revealed that Jabbar had posted videos expressing ISIS sympathies hours before the attack. According to sources familiar with the investigation, these recordings included disturbing references to personal grievances and initially planned violence against his own family.
Jabbar’s military record indicates service from 2007 to 2020, including deployment to Afghanistan. He later worked in Houston’s real estate sector, presenting a seemingly ordinary facade that gave no obvious indication of his radical intentions.
Eyewitnesses Mike and Kimberly Strickland, visiting from Mobile, described scenes of chaos. “The sound of crunching metal and bodies was horrific,” recalled Kimberly Strickland, who was merely 20 yards from the impact zone.
New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick confirmed that despite having 400 officers stationed in the Quarter and temporary barriers in place, the attacker managed to mount the pavement to reach his targets. The incident occurs amid ongoing security infrastructure improvements ahead of the Super Bowl.
Counter-terrorism experts note that while ISIS’s territorial influence has waned, their ability to radicalise individuals through online channels remains a persistent threat to global security.
