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Suspect in New Orleans attack was U.S. citizen, Texas resident, FBI says

Shamsud-Din Jabbar has been identified as the suspected driver; FBI says ISIS flag found in vehicle

Shamsud Din Jabbar has been identified as the suspected driver (ABC News)

NEW ORLEANS – Authorities have identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar as the suspected driver of a pickup truck that sped through a crowd of pedestrians gathered on New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter district early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 14 people and injuring more than 20 other revelers.

Jabbar, 42, is a U.S. citizen from Texas resident, according to the FBI. Public records indicated that he was a Harris County resident, as well.

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KPRC reported Wednesday afternoon that a SWAT team surrounded a home in north Houston — about 10 miles west of Bush Intercontinental Airport at the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive — in connection to the New Orleans deadly attack.

The home’s address is listed as Jabbar’s residence in public records, KPRC reported.

FBI investigators in Houston spent Wednesday afternoon, evening and early Thursday morning at Jabbar’s residence. The agency said in a Wednesday evening social media post that no additional arrests were made.

In a follow-up social media post on Thursday morning, the FBI branch in Houston said that its “court-authorized search” had concluded and that there was no additional threat to residents in the area.

On Thursday, KSAT obtained video inside the home of Jabbar from KPRC 2, our sister station in Houston.

The FBI’s branch in New Orleans shared surveillance photos of Jabbar on Thursday more than an hour before Wednesday’s early-morning attack. The agency is asking for witnesses who may have passed Jabbar on the street to come forward.

Jabbar drove a Ford F150 that he rented in Texas on a carsharing app, according to authorities. Authorities found an ISIS flag in his vehicle, the FBI reported.

During a news conference around 6 p.m. central time, President Joe Biden said Wednesday evening that the FBI found videos that the driver had posted to social media hours before the attack in which he said he was inspired by the Islamic State group and expressed a desire to kill.

“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 said in a statement. “Weapons and a potential IED were located in the subject’s vehicle. Other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter. The FBI’s Special Agent Bomb Technicians are working with our law enforcement partners to determine if any of these devices are viable and they will work to render those devices safe. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”

Two police officers were also injured in a shootout with the suspect, who authorities said died after that firefight.

The Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame had been postponed from Wednesday night and moved to Thursday afternoon.

The attack occurred on Bourbon Street, known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties, and with crowds in the city in anticipation of the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game that would have been played Wednesday night at the nearby Superdome.

The truck used in the attack had Texas plates and branding from a Houston-area dealership. ABC News reported that the Ford F150 truck used in the attack was rented through the Turo app – a carsharing company.

Truck owner Rodrigo Diaz told ABC’s Chris Looft that he rented this truck to an individual through Turo and that he is currently talking to the FBI, declining to comment further.

His wife, Dora Diaz, told ABC News they are devastated — saying through tears “My husband rents cars through the Turo app. I can’t tell you anything else. I’m here with my kids, and this is devastating.”

Here’s what we know about the attack:

What happened?

Police said the driver sped through a crowd along Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday as revelers had gathered to celebrate the New Year. At least 14 people were killed and dozens more were injured and taken to five local hospitals. Two police officers wounded in the shootout with the suspect were in stable condition.

Who is the driver and what was his motive?

The FBI said the driver was 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas.

A flag representing the Islamic State group was found in the truck and the FBI is trying to determine if he was associated with any terrorist organizations, the agency said in a statement.

The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.

Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did” and he tried “to run over as many people as he could.”

What have authorities found in their investigation?

Weapons and a possible explosive device were found in the pickup truck and other possible explosive devices were found elsewhere in the French Quarter, the FBI said.

Two different surveillance camera views showed the beginning of the incident and some nearby police officers' response.

Who was in the crowd?

Authorities said Bourbon Street was filled with revelers toasting the start of 2025 and attending New Year’s Eve parties when the attack occurred. Crowds in New Orleans have been ballooning in anticipation of Wednesday night’s Sugar Bowl college football playoff game between No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame. Officials said that the game would go on as scheduled, but it was postponed to Thursday afternoon.

What protections are there for pedestrians on Bourbon Street?

City documents show New Orleans has been in the midst of a major project to remove and replace post-like barriers called bollards designed to prevent vehicle attacks along Bourbon Street. That project began in November and involves replacing old bollards with new removable stainless steel bollards.

Have there been similar deadly attacks involving vehicles?

Wednesday’s attack in New Orleans is the latest example of a vehicle being used as a weapon around the world to carry out mass violence. The trend has alarmed law enforcement officials because such attacks can be difficult to protect against. Last month, a 50-year-old Saudi doctor plowed into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers in the German city of Magdeburg, killing four women and a 9-year-old boy.


About the Authors
Kolten Parker headshot

Kolten Parker is Manager of Content and Coverage at KSAT. He moved into the role in 2024, after five years of leading the digital team. Kolten is an award-winning journalist and a proud Texas State Bobcat. He's a triathlete who loves the outdoors and sports. When not working, he likes to hang out with his wife and travel.

Nate Kotisso headshot

Nate Kotisso joined KSAT as a digital journalist in 2024. He previously worked as a newspaper reporter in the Rio Grande Valley for more than two years and spent nearly three years as a digital producer at the CBS station in Oklahoma City.

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