Shamsud Din Jabbar: Everything we know about suspected terrorist involved in New Orleans mass killing

A New Year’s celebration in New Orleans was interrupted when a terrorist slammed into a crowd of revelers, killing 10 and injuring dozens more.

The attack occurred around 3:15 a.m. on Bourbon Street when a suspect rammed into a crowd, killing 10, New Orleans police said at a Wednesday morning press conference. More than 30 others were injured in the attack and have been transported to local hospitals to receive treatment.

The FBI is now investigating the incident “as an act of terrorism.”

The suspect has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar and he had an ISIS flag in his car, according to reports.

Here’s everything we know about the tragedy.

What happened?

The suspect exhibited “very intentional behavior” when he plowed into a crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street around 3 a.m. Wednesday morning, just hours into the new year, New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said at a press conference. “This man was trying to run over as many people as he could,” she said.

He evaded the city’s barriers and patrol cars. “This particular terrorist drove around onto the sidewalk and got around the hard target. We did have a car there. We had barriers there. We had officers there. And they still got around,” she said later in the day.

After crashing into the crowd, he exited his vehicle the suspect fired at police officers, striking two. Both officers are in stable condition and are receiving medical treatment, Kirkpatrick said. Law enforcement returned fire and the suspect was pronounced deceased at the scene, the FBI said.

As of Wednesday morning’s press conference, 10 people have died and more than 30 were injured. Most of the wounded individuals were taken to University Medical Center, while others were sent to Touro Hospital, East Jefferson General Hospital, Ochsner Medical Center Jefferson Campus, or Ochsner Baptist Campus, police said.

Most victims appeared to be locals, not tourists, police said.

“He was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did,” Kirkpatrick added.

Early on Wednesday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry condemned the attack in a post on X: “A horrific act of violence took place on Bourbon Street earlier this morning. Please join Sharon and I in praying for all the victims and first responders on scene.”

Both the governor and the FBI have urged locals to avoid Bourbon Street.

Who was the driver?

The FBI identified the suspect as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, U.S. citizen from Texas.

“He was driving a Ford pickup truck, which appears to have been rented and we are working to confirm how the subject came into possession of the vehicle,” the agency said in a Wednesday afternoon statement.

Officials recovered weapons and a potential IED inside the vehicle as well as an ISIS flag, which the FBI “is working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations,” the statement read. Other potential IEDs were located in the French Quarter. Authorities are working to determine whether any of the devices are viable.

Earlier Wednesday, the FBI confirmed that the suspect is dead after engaging with police.

Law enforcement reportedly recovered a handgun and an AR-style rifle, sources told the Associated Press.

Information about the suspect’s background is still emerging, but law enforcement confirmed he was a U.S. Army veteran.

“We believe he was honorably discharged, but we are working through this process, figuring out all this information,” Alethea Duncan, FBI assistant special agent in charge, said at the Wednesday afternoon press conference.

Public records suggest he was involved in consulting and real estate.

According to the New York Times, in an August 2022 court document as part of a divorce proceeding, the suspect said that he worked at Deloitte, earning about $120,000 a year. But earlier that year, the suspect alluded to his financial issues in an email, claiming he owed over $27,000 in late home payments and was at risk of foreclosure. Because he needed to hire a lawyer and pay living expenses, he said he had taken on $16,000 in credit card debt, the outlet reported.

Later in the day Wednesday, the FBI said they don’t think the suspect acted alone.

“We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible. We are aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associates,” an official said at an afternoon press conference.

What was the motive?

The motive behind the mass killing is not yet known. The FBI said it is investigating the incident “as an act of terrorism.”

In its statement, the agency said: “The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”

What condition are the victims in?

The condition of the dozens of civilian victims is not immediately clear.

The two officers who were struck by gunfire were in stable condition and are being treated, Kirkpatrick said.

Two of the individuals who were killed have been identified so far as Reggie Hunter, a 37-year-old Baton Rouge father of two, and Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, and 18-year-old who traveled to New Orleans from Gulfport with her cousin and friend to celebrate the New Year.