A former U.S. Army member, driving a truck adorned with an ISIS flag, plowed into a crowded New Year\u2019s Day celebration in New Orleans\u2019 French Quarter, killing 15 people and injuring 30 others, including two police officers.<\/p>\n
The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a Texas native and Afghanistan veteran, was killed in a shootout with police after crashing into the crowd. The attack occurred around 3:15 a.m. at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets, a historic area renowned for its vibrant nightlife and New Year\u2019s festivities.<\/p>\n
Authorities discovered weapons and a potential explosive device in Jabbar\u2019s vehicle, while two additional devices were found and secured in the French Quarter. The FBI confirmed that an ISIS flag was attached to the truck, prompting an investigation into potential terrorist ties.<\/p>\n
In response to the ongoing threat, officials postponed the Sugar Bowl, a prestigious college football game traditionally held in New Orleans on New Year\u2019s Day. The matchup between Notre Dame and Georgia was rescheduled for Thursday afternoon as police scoured the city for additional explosives and pursued leads.<\/p>\n
The FBI\u2019s Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Alethea Duncan, stated, \u201cWe do not believe Jabbar acted alone. We are aggressively pursuing all leads, including known associates.\u201d Investigators are examining multiple suspects in connection with the attack.<\/p>\n
Among the victims were a mother of a 4-year-old who had recently been promoted at work, a New York finance worker and former student athlete visiting home for the holidays, and an 18-year-old nursing student from Mississippi.<\/p>\n
CNN reported that Jabbar had recorded videos expressing his desire to join ISIS and contemplating harming his family following his divorce. Public records reveal that he worked in real estate in Houston and had served in the U.S. military for over a decade, including a deployment to Afghanistan.<\/p>\n
Statements from Trump and Biden<\/strong><\/p>\n President-elect Donald Trump described the attack as evidence of his \u201cterrible assessment of crime\u201d in America, pledging full support for New Orleans as it recovers from what he called \u201can act of pure evil.\u201d<\/p>\n President Joe Biden condemned the attack as \u201cdespicable\u201d and confirmed that investigators were exploring potential links to other incidents, including the burning of a Tesla Cybertruck outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas. However, Biden emphasized that no evidence currently connects the two events.<\/p>\n Tesla explosion in Las Vegas<\/strong><\/p>\n In a separate incident, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on January 1, killing the driver and injuring seven others. The FBI is investigating whether the explosion was an act of terrorism.<\/p>\n Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill noted that both the Cybertruck and the vehicle used in the New Orleans attack were rented through the car-sharing service Turo.<\/p>\n Elon Musk clarified that the explosion was caused by large fireworks or a bomb carried in the vehicle\u2019s chassis and was unrelated to the Cybertruck itself.<\/p>\n Global condemnation and condolences<\/strong><\/p>\n World leaders expressed their outrage and solidarity. French President Emmanuel Macron described New Orleans as \u201ca city dear to the hearts of the French\u201d and extended condolences to the victims and their families. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European Union diplomat Kaja Kallas also condemned the attack, offering support to the U.S. during this tragic time.<\/p>\n In a separate incident, a mass shooting occurred at a nightclub in Queens, New York. At least 11 people were injured, and two suspects are being sought.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A former U.S. Army member, driving a truck adorned with an ISIS flag, plowed into a crowded New Year\u2019s Day celebration in New Orleans\u2019 French Quarter, killing 15 people and injuring 30 others, including two police officers. The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a Texas native and Afghanistan veteran, was killed in a shootout […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7031,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[176],"tags":[569,4495,4494,2023,1192],"class_list":["post-7030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-america","tag-isis","tag-las-vegas","tag-new-orleans","tag-terror-attack","tag-united-states"],"yoast_head":"\n