Suspect identified in New Orleans attack that killed at least 14 lived in Houston
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A Houston man was identified by the FBI as the driver who conducted a deadly attack that left at least 14 dead and dozens injured in New Orleans in the early morning hours of Jan. 1.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, allegedly used a pickup truck he rented in Houston to slam into the New Year's crowds on Bourbon Street.
The owner of the Ford F-150 Lightning truck told ABC News he rented the truck to an individual through the app Turo and is currently talking to the FBI. He declined further comment.
Federal agents said there was an ISIS flag on the truck and law enforcement found weapons and potential IEDs inside. They also found other potential IEDs in other parts of the French Quarter.
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Authorities are working to determine whether Jabbar had any affiliation with terrorist organizations. However, authorities do believe Jabbar was radicalized in the last few years, a senior official told ABC News, and that radicalization may have been exacerbated by the Israel-Hamas war.
The FBI is studying videos Jabbar appears to have recorded while driving from Texas to Louisiana, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Jabbar is not seen but is allegedly heard talking about his divorce and about a desire to kill members of his family before ultimately deciding to carry out the attack on Bourbon Street, the sources said.
The suspect is also heard talking about ISIS, the sources said.
Jabbar is a U.S.-born citizen and U.S. Army veteran, according to the FBI.
In a YouTube video posted in 2020, Jabbar says he was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, and spent a decade working in the U.S. military before becoming a realtor in the Houston area. His years in the military were spent working as a human resources and IT specialist, Jabbar says in the video, which has since been removed from YouTube.
ABC13 confirmed Jabbar was working for the consulting firm Deloitte at the time of the attack and had been working there since 2021.
That is just the start of the wide reaching impacts of this attack, with the investigation underway both New Orleans and Houston. Security is tight in New Orleans as authorities say they believe the driver did not act alone.
New Orleans police have reviewed surveillance video that authorities believed showed several people planting potential explosive devices in advance of the vehicle ramming.
However, in an update on Thursday, the FBI and NOPD said they no longer believe there are any other suspects. Investigators said after reviewing the surveillance videos more closely, it appears Jabbar placed the IEDs himself and then changed clothes. Officials said the clothes were found in the truck.
Officials decided to postpone Wednesday night's Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia until Thursday. The Superdome, where the game will be played, is not far from the scene of the attack in the French Quarter.
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On Wednesday, law enforcement surrounded the trailer home where Jabbar lived in Houston near the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive. Drone footage captured someone walking out of a home on the property with their hands up as SWAT officers were outside.
Officials did not say if that person had any involvement in the attack. So far, no arrests have been made.
Law enforcement officers had armored trucks on the property. They also brought out the Rook, which is an armored vehicle with a ram on the front that allows them to break down doors.
In an update on Thursday morning, FBI Houston said it concluded the search and cleared the area. "At this time, there is no threat to residents in that area. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, we are unable to provide any details," the FBI said.
ABC13 Reporter Mycah Hatfield spoke to someone who knew Jabbar and said he moved out and turned in his keys on Monday. She said Jabbar mentioned he was moving to New Orleans for work about a month ago. She said she wasn't sure what he did for work, but thought he worked from home.
Jabbar apparently tried to secure another rental property in New Orleans.
After barreling through the crowd over a three-block stretch on New Year's Day, Jabbar allegedly got out of the truck wielding an assault rifle and opened fire on police officers. Officers returned fire, killing the suspect, police said. At least two police officers were shot and wounded, authorities said.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the horrific incident as a "terrorist attack" and the FBI said it was being investigated as an act of terror.
