By Steve Neavling
The FBI is treating a deadly New Year’s attack in New Orleans as a potential act of terrorism, investigating the possibility that the driver of the pickup truck, which carried an Islamic State flag, was not acting alone.
The driver killed 15 people and injured dozens more when he drove into a crowd of revelers early Wednesday before being fatally shot by police.
Agents searching the vehicle discovered firearms and what appeared to be a homemade explosive device, alongside additional devices scattered around the city’s historic French Quarter, the Associated Press reports. The FBI said the attack bore hallmarks of a coordinated effort, raising concerns about broader threats.
President Joe Biden addressed the nation Wednesday evening, revealing that investigators had found social media videos posted by the suspect just hours before the attack. In the videos, the man reportedly voiced allegiance to the Islamic State and a desire to commit mass murder.
The incident plunged Bourbon Street, normally bustling with celebrants, into chaos and bloodshed. Witnesses described the aftermath as horrifying, with injured victims scattered along the street and panicked pedestrians seeking refuge in nearby bars and restaurants. The devastation also forced a college football playoff game scheduled at the Superdome to be delayed until Thursday.
Zion Parsons, 18, who had traveled from Gulfport, Mississippi, witnessed the destruction firsthand. “The truck was just coming through, hitting people, tossing them like rag dolls,” he said. Parsons added that his close friend Nikyra Dedeaux was among those who lost their lives.
“Bodies, bodies all up and down the street, everybody screaming and hollering,” Parsons said, recalling the chaos and devastation.
“This was more than an act of terror; it was pure evil,” declared New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick. She explained that the suspect deliberately bypassed the safety barriers intended to protect pedestrians and seemed singularly focused on causing maximum destruction.
Authorities identified the driver as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran and Texas resident. At a press briefing, FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan stated, “We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible,” hinting at the possibility of additional suspects or accomplices.
State police later confirmed that multiple improvised explosive devices had been recovered, including two pipe bombs hidden inside coolers and rigged for remote detonation. These discoveries, outlined in a Louisiana State Police intelligence bulletin, heightened concerns about the extent of the planning behind the attack.
As the investigation unfolds, the FBI is working to determine whether Jabbar had direct ties to terrorist organizations or acted as part of a larger coordinated effort.
