'Precursor chemicals' found in NOLA attack suspect's Houston home, where he moved out of days before

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Law enforcement spent about 18 hours at the home of the Houston man responsible for a deadly attack in New Orleans on New Year's morning.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, lived in a mobile home on Crescent Peak Drive in north Harris County, a predominantly Muslim community.

Multiple people associated with the property said Jabbar moved out on Monday. The landlord said he gave a month's notice that he would be leaving the property that he had lived in for about two years. He reportedly told her that he was being transferred for work to New Orleans.

She said someone from New Orleans associated with a rental property reached out to her as a reference for Jabbar. She described him as being a good tenant and was stunned to hear the news.

The FBI and Harris County Sheriff's Office searched his home on Wednesday. Officers arrived at about 3 p.m., and the FBI said they left at 7:50 a.m. on Thursday.

Law enforcement sources told ABC13 that investigators found precursor chemicals that can be used in explosives.

Thursday, the front door to his mobile home was open, and the frame was barely connected to the building.

Jabbar left behind furniture and personal effects, including shoes, a suitcase, and decor. A Quran was displayed atop his bookshelf, and a book on Christianity was on a lower shelf.

Another man who lives on the property and helps the landlord said Jabbar said he was leaving the items behind for the next tenant.

He described Jabbar as being kind and said he kept to himself and did not have visitors.

The neighbor said Jabbar was upset about moving and told him he felt comfortable in that space on Crescent Peak.

Jabbar's half-brother, Abdur, described him as charismatic, thoughtful, and compassionate. He said Jabbar had a good job in IT but was isolated.

He did not know why his half-brother would commit such an act. Abdur said he found out about what happened from his aunt, and he was in disbelief.

"He was a practicing Muslim as far as I knew, but this type of extremism and radicalization, I didn't know anything about any of this," Abdur said.

Abdur wondered if his brother was suffering from mental health struggles that his family did not know about or if isolation affected him.

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