On New Year’s Day, a devastating event shook the historic heart of New Orleans when Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a Ford pickup truck through a crowd on Bourbon Street. The attack resulted in the tragic loss of 15 lives, including the perpetrator, and left numerous others injured. This was determined to be a premeditated act of terrorism orchestrated by Jabbar alone, who was subsequently killed in a shootout with the police.
According to the Daily Caller, Jabbar's lone involvement in the explosive attack was confirmed by extensive FBI investigation after initial uncertainty about possible accomplices.
The morning of the attack saw panicked crowds as Jabbar maneuvered his vehicle at high speed into unsuspecting revelers.
Surveillance footage revealed his preparation, including placing improvised explosive devices (IEDs) strategically in coolers on nearby streets, which were later recovered by bomb technicians. The presence of an ISIS flag in Jabbar’s vehicle further confirmed the terrorist intent behind his actions.
In the immediate aftermath, there were fears of additional attackers due to the discovery of multiple IEDs. However, these suspicions were quickly directed towards Jabbar as the sole perpetrator.
Christopher Raia, FBI Counterterrorism Division Deputy Assistant Director, clarified in a press conference, "We do not assess, at this point, that anyone else is involved in this attack except for Shamsud-Din Jabbar."
Further investigation dispelled earlier speculations about other individuals being involved. "We're confident at this point that there are no other accomplices," Raia added during the same briefing. Misunderstandings initially arose when people were seen handling the coolers, which led to mistaken reports of multiple suspects.
The misunderstanding was addressed further by Raia. "A lot of the early reports came out that there were extra people who were setting the coolers down. It turns out those were just patrons on the street that were looking inside the coolers. But we didn't know that at first so we had to track all that down and put that to rest," he explained.
Amidst the ongoing investigation, public officials called for media patience as details gradually surfaced. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry emphasized the complexities in such high-stakes investigations, saying, “Information changes. In fact, that’s why we ask the media for patience.” This underscores continual updates and revisions that often occur in the dynamic context of terrorist attack probes.
Declaring the event as an unequivocal act of terrorism, Raia underlined the severity and calculated nature of the attack. “Let me be very clear about this point: This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act,” he stated, highlighting the ideological motives behind Jabbar’s actions.
"What I can tell you right now, is that he was 100% inspired by ISIS," confirmed Raia, pointing to the growing concern of domestic radicalization. This acknowledgment provided insight into the possible motivations driving Jabbar, a Texas-born U.S. citizen whose drastic actions stirred national insecurity and fear.
As the community reels from the shock, the FBI continues its extensive investigation into Jabbar's background and possible predictive factors that could have indicated his radicalization. Raia urged anyone with any connection to Jabbar to come forward. “Whether you know Jabbar, personally worked with him, served in the military, or saw him in New Orleans or Texas, we need to talk to you. You may not think you have relevant information, but what you know could tie into one of our investigators’ leads,” he implored, hoping to gather more information that could prevent future tragedies.
To summarize, New Orleans experienced a deliberate and isolated act of terrorism as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, inspired by ISIS, attacked crowds on Bourbon Street, setting off IEDs and leaving chaos in his wake before being neutralized by police.
The FBI, after a thorough investigation, confirmed his sole involvement, dispelling earlier concerns about accomplices.