Early on New Year’s Day, a driver intentionally drove a pickup truck into a crowd celebrating on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, resulting in 15 fatalities and at least 35 injuries. The suspect was subsequently killed in an exchange of gunfire with law enforcement.

The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) and the FBI’s New Orleans field office are jointly investigating the incident, releasing details as they become available.

On January 1st, Alethea Duncan, an FBI assistant special agent in charge, identified the perpetrator as Shamsud-Din Jabbar. The FBI believes Jabbar did not act alone.

Here’s a summary of what is currently known and unknown about the attack.

What transpired during the New Orleans attack?

Around 3:15 a.m. local time, an individual operating a rented Ford pickup truck bypassed a police vehicle safeguarding the crowd and drove into the revelers.

Video footage shows a white Ford F-150 Lightning mounting the pavement and sharply turning before striking pedestrians.

The NOPD’s public affairs office released a statement on January 1st detailing the incident.

The NOPD statement reported that responding officers encountered a vehicle that had driven into a crowd. The vehicle subsequently crashed, and numerous individuals sustained injuries.

The NOPD and the FBI reported that the suspect, after exiting the vehicle, fired upon responding officers, who returned fire. The suspect was fatally wounded. 

The NOPD and FBI reported that the injured, including two NOPD officers, were transported to hospitals for treatment.

The FBI confirmed that weapons and potential improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were discovered in the truck and elsewhere in the French Quarter. FBI bomb technicians are working to neutralize these devices.

What is known about the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar?

The suspect, identified as 42-year-old U.S. citizen and Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, hailed from Texas.

Jabbar served in the Army from 2007, holding roles in human resources and information technology. He deployed to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. He transitioned to the Army Reserve in 2015 and received an honorable discharge in 2020 at the rank of staff sergeant.

According to the New York Times, Jabbar had been married twice. He divorced his first wife, Nakedra Charrlle Marsh, in 2012 and was separated from his second wife. 

The Times also reported that Marsh’s current husband, Dwayne Marsh, stated that Jabbar had exhibited erratic behavior recently, including changes in his appearance, and that contact with Jabbar’s children had been restricted.

The FBI reported that an ISIS flag was found in the vehicle, and investigators are exploring Jabbar’s potential connections to terrorist organizations.

Assistant Special Agent Duncan indicated the FBI believes Jabbar received assistance, particularly regarding the IEDs, though no confirmation has been made.

How have President Biden, President-elect Trump, and others responded?

President Biden issued a statement on January 1st acknowledging his briefing on the attack and expressing sympathy for the victims.

Biden stated that violence is unacceptable and that attacks on communities will not be tolerated.

Biden later addressed the attack from Camp David, stating that the FBI is investigating the incident’s causes and potential ongoing threats. He added that the FBI had found evidence that Jabbar had posted ISIS-inspired videos on social media prior to the attack and that an ISIS flag and potential explosives were found.

President-elect Donald Trump responded on his social media platform, framing the attack within the context of broader crime concerns in the U.S.

Trump offered condolences to the victims and their families and pledged support to New Orleans.

On January 1st, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency in Orleans Parish to facilitate resource allocation for upcoming large events, including Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras.