At least 15 people were killed and several more were injured when a US citizen who was “hellbent” on destruction and carrying an Islamic State flag drove a pickup truck into a throng of New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans, according to officials, reports RTE.
The perpetrator was identified by the FBI as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas native and army veteran.
He had been an IT specialist in the military and seems to have been a Houston real estate agent, reports RTE.
Although they provided few specifics, officials stated that they were looking for accomplices.
The FBI said that “an ISIS flag was located in the vehicle,” referring to the Islamic State armed organisation by another name, while Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick called Jabbar a “terrorist,” reports RTE.
“The FBI is working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organisations,” the agency said in a statement.
Alethea Duncan, an FBI agent, said that officials “do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible” and that a manhunt was underway, reports RTE.
“We’re hunting some bad people down,” stated Jeff Landry, the governor of Louisiana.
According to an FBI spokeswoman, the number has increased to 15, citing the New Orleans coroner’s office, although authorities had previously placed it at 10, reports RTE.
According to police, the incident started in the centre of the French Quarter, which was crowded with people celebrating the start of 2025, at about 3.15 am (9.15 am Irish time yesterday).
The perpetrator struck a group of pedestrians with a white Ford F-150 electric pickup, got out, and was shot and killed by police, who also injured two other people, reports RTE.
We located and destroyed two homemade bombs.
“This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could,” Supt Kirkpatrick told reporters, the FBI said, reports RTE.
“He was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” she added, adding that he drove at “very high speed” and in a “very intentional” way.
According to Supt. Kirkpatrick, the injured officers’ health was stable and they will get well, reports RTE.
According to the Pentagon, Jabbar was in the army from 2007 to 2015 as an IT specialist and human resource specialist before spending 2020 in the army reserve.
According to an army official, he served in Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010 and was promoted to staff sergeant at the conclusion of his tenure, reports RTE.
According to a statement made by US President Joe Biden, his administration “will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
“The FBI also reported to me that mere hours before the attack he posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS,” Mr Biden said of suspect Jabbar, reports RTE.
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