15 killed and about 30 injured as truck crashed into New Orleans NYE crowd
An armed man drove a speeding truck into a New Year's Eve celebration on Bourbon Street in New Orleans' French Quarter early Wednesday, killing at least 15 and injuring more than 30 before being shot and killed by police in what the FBI is calling a terrorist assault.
"We are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism," the FBI said in a statement.
The pick-up truck crashed into the crowd at high speed around 3:15 a.m. CST and within moments the driver started firing on police officers from inside the vehicle, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said. Three officers returned fire; two were shot and are being treated in stable condition.
Police confirmed with USA TODAY that the driver was fatally shot by police. "Perpetrator was shot by NOPD officers and killed," said Karen Boudrie, public relations specialist with New Orleans police.
Federal authorities are investigating whether there may be a link between the attack and a deadly explosion that occurred outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas just hours later, President Joe Biden said in public remarks Wednesday evening.
The suspect in the attack has been preliminary identified by the FBI as Shamsud Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen and Army veteran who lived in Texas. Jabbar appeared to be carrying an ISIS flag and was dressed in military gear, the FBI said.
A government official speaking on condition of anonymity said the suspect came off of active military duty in 2015. He had worked as an Information Technology Specialist, according to the official.
"An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle and the FBI is working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations," the FBI statement said.
Later Wednesday, FBI special agent Alethea Duncan told reporters the ISIS flag was hanging from the truck trailer's hitch. She also said the bureau does not believe Jabbar was "solely responsible" for the attack.
Duncan, the assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's New Orleans office, said authorities also had safely neutralized and removed two potential improvised explosive devices, and are searching for more in the French Quarter.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said multiple times at Wednesday afternoon's news conference that the site of the truck collision on Bourbon Street remains an "active crime scene" as investigators hunt for details.
Earlier Wednesday, Cantrell told reporters that the driver was on a mission to kill as many people as possible. "He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did . . . This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could. It was not a DUI situation," Cantrell said.
Hundreds of police officers were in the city for New Year's Eve duty when the assault happened, Cantrell said. The driver of the truck swerved around barricades on his way into the crowd, she said.
"Last night, we had over 300 officers out here, and because of the intentional mindset of this perpetrator who went around our barricades in order to conduct this," the mayor said.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks on attack
In an evening address, Biden described a “very fluid” investigation in which the FBI and other U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies are looking for clues as to why Jabbar acted – and whether he had accomplices in the New Orleans attack and possibly the explosion in Las Vegas.
The investigation, Biden said, is needed "to determine what happened, why it happened and whether there is any continuing threat to public safety."
Biden said the FBI reported to him that "mere hours before the attack, (Jabbar) posted videos on social media indicating that is inspired by ISIS, expressing a desire to kill. The ISIS flag was found in his vehicle, which he rented to conduct this attack."
"The law enforcement intelligence community are continuing to look for any connections, associations or co-conspirators," Biden said. "We have nothing additional report at this time, the investigation is continuing to be active, and no one should jump to conclusions."
— Josh Meyer
Loved ones begin to identify victims: 'Beloved teammate' and 'outgoing'
Law enforcement and officials in New Orleans have not publicly identified any of the victims but family and friends began to identify some of the 15 people killed on Wednesday.
Martin "Tiger" Bech, 28, a former Princeton football player; Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, an 18-year-old who recently graduated high school; father of two Reggie Hunter, 37; and 27-year-old mother Nicole Perez were among those killed in the attack.
Melissa Dedeaux, Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux's mother told USA TODAY, that her daughter likely wanted to have some fun before starting a nursing program in January. She described her daughter as an "outgoing, very smart girl" who often helped care for her 1-year-old sister.
Tiger Bech was an All-Ivy League performer, spending three seasons at Princeton from 2016 to 2018. Bech's death was first announced by Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette, Louisiana, where Bech attended.
"There was no more appropriate nickname of a Princeton player I coached," Princeton football coach Bob Surace said in an announcement. "He was a 'Tiger' in every way - a ferocious competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate and a caring friend."
— N'dea Yancey-Bragg
Revelry to terror: How the deadly New Orleans truck attack unfolded
Visitors react to attack: 'You just feel bad for the city'
Tourists who traveled to New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl said they felt the impact of the events that transpired on New Year's Day.
Coleman Sapp was with friends and family from Georgia, visiting the city for the game. Sapp was staying at a hotel near where the attack took place. He and his family were flying out on Friday, so they planned to attend despite their feelings about what had occurred.
"We're very somber," Sapp said. "You could hear a pin drop on Bourbon Street."
Mike and Amy Johnson, of Iowa, are both fans of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and were staying close to Bourbon Street at the Courtyard New Orleans French Quarter/Iberville. Mike Johnson said he and his wife were on Bourbon Street at midnight, only a few hours before the attack took place.
"It's just surreal," Mike Johnson said. "You just feel bad for the city and everyone in it," Amy Johnson added.
— Aaron Gonsoulin, Lafayette Daily Advertiser
Motive remains unknown
The suspect's motive for the assault is unknown. Court records obtained by USA TODAY revealed that Jabbar had been having severe financial difficulties despite holding a $120,000-a-year job.
Court records in Texas show Jabbar, who has been married and divorced twice, had written of financial troubles during his legal ups and downs with wives. As he negotiated his second divorce two years ago, his attorney attached records to court files indicating Jabbar’s finances were limited.
Jabbar enlisted in the Army in 2007, at the height of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan when more than 100,000 U.S. troops had deployed to war zones, according to the Army and a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Jabbar deployed to Afghanistan from Feb. 2009 until Jan. 2015.
After his deployment, Jabbar joined the Army Reserve and continued serving as an IT specialist until July 2020. He left the Army as a staff sergeant, and received an honorable discharge, according to the official.
— Nick Penzenstadler, Tom Vanden Brook, Bart Jansen, and Claire Thornton
FBI, authorities investigate Houston connection to New Orleans terrorist act
As police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation investigate the deadly crash in New Orleans, authorities are looking into a possible link to the attack in Houston.
The FBI and the Harris County Sheriff's Office are conducting an investigation "related to this morning's New Orleans attack," the FBI's Houston office said Wednesday in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
In a later update, the FBI's Houston office said they were continuing a court-authorized search of a location near the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive.
"At this time, no arrests have been made, and FBI personnel will be at the scene for several more hours," the FBI said. "We are asking members of the public to continue to avoid the area and a temporary flight restriction has been implemented."
Police cruisers blocked off roads around a property in Houston that public records list for Jabbar. The residence is northwest of downtown along a leafy, semi-industrial dead-end road across from a county maintenance facility and a manufacturing office building.
Local and national law enforcement authorities gathered at the scene did not speak with reporters, who were being kept behind a nearby fence. A tactical team could be seen outside the home behind an armored SWAT truck, while officers were flying drones overhead as they continued their investigation.
— Mike Snider; Karoline Leonard, Austin-American Statesman
Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion kills 1, injures 7 others
Authorities are investigating a possible act of terror in Las Vegas after a Tesla Cybertruck parked near the Trump International Hotel exploded Wednesday, leaving one dead and seven injured.
The vehicle was rented in Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas around 7:30 a.m. Pacific Time Wednesday, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a news conference. The driver, the sole occupant of the vehicle who has not yet been named by authorities, drove the vehicle up and down Las Vegas Boulevard before pulling in front of the Trump hotel.
The vehicle sat there about 15 seconds before the explosion went off, killing the driver, McMahill said. Police later discovered gasoline canisters, camp fuel canisters, and large firework mortars in the back of the vehicle.
The explosion occurred hours after the deadly attack involving a truck in New Orleans on New Year's Day. President Joe Biden said federal authorities are investigating whether there may be a link between the fatal truck assault and the explosion in Las Vegas.
— Eve Chen, Bailey Schulz, and Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy
Vehicles in New Orleans, Vegas incidents rented from same company
Turo confirmed Wednesday that the vehicles involved in the Las Vegas explosion and New Orleans attack were rented from the peer-to-peer car rental service.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families," Turo said in a statement. "We are devastated by these horrible incidents, and remain dedicated to helping the authorities however we can."
Turo said its trust and safety team is working with law enforcement to "share any information that could be helpful in their investigations."
The company noted that it does not believe that either renter had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat and that the company was not aware of any information suggesting the two incidents are related.
— Thao Nguyen
Security barriers in French Quarter were being replaced prior to attack
Security barriers along Bourbon Street had been malfunctioning and were in the process of being replaced before Wednesday's attack, officials said.
The city began removing the barriers, known as bollards, in November as part of its Super Bowl infrastructure plan. Super Bowl LIX is scheduled to be played on Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome, about a mile from where the attack occurred.
"Bollards were not up because they are near completion, with the expectation of being completed by Super Bowl — way before Super Bowl," Cantrell said.
The bollards were initially installed in 2017 in response to recent "vehicular attacks on pedestrian malls around the globe," according to officials. But shortly after the system was installed, the bollards began to malfunction due to being clogged by Mardi Gras beads, Cantrell said.
— Thao Nguyen
Sugar Bowl postponed; Mardi Gras, Super Bowl security
Bourbon Street is a nightlife hub that draws thousands for New Year's Eve celebrations in New Orleans.
The city was also due to host the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the University of Georgia Bulldogs Wednesday night in the Sugar Bowl but the classic college football playoff quarterfinals annual match was postponed 24 hours until Thursday at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans due to the attack.
"We live in the fun and games world with what we do, but we certainly recognize the importance of this, and we're going to support it 100 percent," Jeff Hundley, the CEO of the Sugar Bowl, said during Wednesday afternoon's wide-ranging press conference.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he mobilized about 100 members of the National Guard in a military police unit to help protect New Orleans and the Sugar Bowl while authorities investigate the attack.
"It is important for our citizens and guests of the state to know that we’re doing everything that we can to secure their safety and the city," Landry said. "The Superdome and the surrounding area is safe."
Landry said he planned to attend the Sugar Bowl college football game to demonstrate it is safe.
"I’ll tell you one thing: Your governor is going to be there," Landry said. "That is proof, believe you me, that the facility and the city is safer than it was yesterday."
Landry said he had expected to issue an emergency declaration Thursday to coordinate local, state, and federal authorities for Super Bowl LIX on Feb. 9 and for Mardi Gras, which is scheduled to begin on Monday.
The Louisiana governor added that he moved the declaration to Wednesday because of the attack. The Sugar Bowl New Year's parade took place Tuesday afternoon in the same area as the crash.
Bourbon Street closed, scene under investigation
Authorities said Wednesday afternoon that the popular Bourbon Street corridor will remain closed because it’s an “active crime scene,” Cantrell said.
Bourbon Street runs through the center of the quarter, which is beloved around the world for its bars, hotels, boutiques, museums, and restaurants – representing a melting pot of African diaspora and French cultures. Locals are known to explain to visitors that the cultural district represents the northern coast of the Caribbean.
Each year, the Carnival Season starts in January in New Orleans, leading to Mardi Gras parades every February or March in and around Bourbon Street. This year, celebrations tied to the Super Bowl are expected to add to the overflow of festivities.
The historic street blocks that make up the French Quarter comprised the original town of New Orleans founded by the French in the early 1700s, and many of the buildings, known for their wrought iron balconies, are over 200 years old.
The French Quarter survived flooding from Hurricane Katrina better than other parts of town because the geography of New Orleans means some areas farther from the Gulf Coast are actually nearer to sea-level elevation. Nestled on higher ground along the Mississippi River, the French Quarter was not inundated after canals in neighborhoods to the north were overwhelmed when Katrina hit the city in late August 2005.
Biden briefed on attack; Trump responds
President Joe Biden, who traveled from his home in Wilmington, Delaware, to Camp David in Maryland on Wednesday, issued a statement noting that he is continually briefed by federal law enforcement leadership and the Department of Homeland Security.
Biden added that the attack was being investigated as an "act of terrorism."
"I am grateful for the brave and swift response of local law enforcement in preventing even greater death and injury," the president said in the statement. "I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind."
The FBI, Justice Department's National Security Division, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and federal prosecutors in Louisiana are working with state and local law enforcement in response to the attack, Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
President-elect Donald Trump, on his Truth Social platform, called the attack "pure evil."
"When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true," Trump said. "The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!"
Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on social media that those responsible for the attack would be brought to justice and threatened to seek the death penalty.
"In Louisiana we have the death penalty and we will carry it out!" Murrill wrote on X.
Details on Wednesday's attack emerged almost instantly on social media. NOLA Ready, the city's official disaster preparedness agency, confirmed before 6 a.m. CST that there had been a "mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street."
It said there were injured patients who had been transported by New Orleans Emergency Medical Services, adding: "Public safety partners are responding on scene."
DC security heightened ahead of major events, Trump inauguration
The Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C., heightened its security Wednesday across the city out of an abundance of caution after the New Orleans attack, though there is no known threat to the city, according to Paris Lewbel, deputy director of communications for the department.
"While we do not discuss specifics regarding operations, tactics, or staffing, the community will notice an increased police presence throughout the city," Lewbel said. "As the nation’s capital, we maintain a heightened level of security at all times to ensure the safety of our residents, businesses, and visitors."
High-profile events that could attract crowds to the city in the immediate future include the convening of the new Congress on Friday, the counting of Electoral College votes on Monday, former President Jimmy Carter's funeral proceedings Tuesday through Thursday, and President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20.
“As we approach upcoming major events in the District of Columbia, MPD will continue working with our local and federal partners to assess potential threats and make any necessary adjustments to safeguard the community,” Lewbel said.
Security addressed for other college bowl games
The Sugar Bowl is one of the oldest bowl games in the country, along with the Orange Bowl and Sun Bowl.
"The Sugar Bowl is huge. Lots of people will be watching," Juliette Kayyem, a former top U.S. Department of Homeland Security official, told CNN. "It should go on. The police department has lots of resources to draw on. It can protect the investigation and also draw on other local and state resources to protect people going to the bowl.”
She added: “This is the way that big cities have to work. Unfortunately, we want to provide what might even be security theater at this stage, lots and lots of law enforcement presence to make the city and people attending understand that they are safe, to stop anyone who might want to copycat at this stage, and then you let the investigation and the mourning continue simultaneously. It's just the nature of how these things happen is that you have both these horrible incidences, and then you have to prepare for the next big event. And this is when we've seen in prior instances as well.”
In Atlanta, the Peach Bowl game between the University of Texas Longhorns and Arizona State Sun Devils kicked off on Wednesday hours after the city's police department said on social media that it planned to have heightened security in light of the New Orleans attack.
Officials in Pasadena, California, where the prestigious Rose Bowl kicked off Wednesday afternoon, also expressed their condolences for New Orleans. According to the Pasadena Now news site, officials planned to move ahead with the game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Oregon Ducks. They reassured the public about Rose Parade security.
“The Tournament of Roses and the City of Pasadena extend our deepest sympathies to the people of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans following this morning’s tragic events,” the statement read. “We stand in solidarity with the entire state during this difficult time.”
It added, “The City of Pasadena undergoes months of preparations leading up to the Parade and Game in coordination with our Federal, State, County and Local partners. We continually train throughout the year with our Tournament of Roses and Rose Bowl Stadium partners for various scenarios . . . The Parade is a top-level Federal event and we have to ability to call in additional resources if the need exists.”
The University of Georgia expressed solidarity with the city of New Orleans, adding that it is working to determine if any of its students or faculty were among the victims of Wednesday's attack.
"We are horrified and saddened by the senseless act of violence that occurred in the early hours of New Year’s Day in New Orleans," the University of Georgia said in a post on X. "University personnel are working to determine if any UGA students, faculty, staff, alumni or fans were among the victims. We offer our deepest condolences to all the victims and their families, and we stand in solidarity with the New Orleans community."
New Orleans police said they'll be ready for upcoming events. The department is deploying resources at a level like other recent major events, such as the Taylor Swift concert. NOPD will work alongside local, state and federal partners to provide extensive security coverage across the city.
“Residents and visitors can expect to see a strong presence of marked and unmarked police vehicles, as well as officers on foot, bike, and horseback as part of the department’s Mounted Patrol,” Kirkpatrick said. “This increased visibility will enhance public safety, provide crowd control, and allow for rapid response to any incidents.”
Contributing: Reuters
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Orleans truck attack investigators look for motive behind rampage
