15 Dead in Truck Attack in New Orleans, US... "Inspired by IS" (Summary)

Suspect Possessed IS Flag and Explosives... Dies After Shootout
Biden "Investigating Possible Link to Tesla Cybertruck Explosion"

On New Year's Day, a vehicle rammed into a crowd celebrating the New Year in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, in the central southern United States, resulting in dozens of casualties.

At around 3:15 a.m. local time on the 1st, a pickup truck drove into Bourbon Street, a busy area in the French Quarter of New Orleans. According to Dr. Dwight McKenna, the New Orleans coroner, reported by The New York Times (NYT) and The Guardian, at least 15 people were killed in the incident. So far, 35 injuries have been confirmed.

On the 1st (local time), a pickup truck rammed into a New Year's crowd in New Orleans, Louisiana, USA, killing at least 15 people and injuring 35. The suspect, Shamsud Dean Jabar, a 42-year-old American citizen from Texas, died in a shootout with police officers. The photo shows the FBI searching the crime scene. Photo by UPI Yonhap News.

The perpetrator exited the truck after it stopped and engaged in a shootout with police before dying. During this exchange, two police officers were also shot by the suspect.

New Orleans Police Chief Ann Kirkpatrick said, "It was a very deliberate act. The suspect tried to hit as many people as possible," adding, "It was not a case of drunk driving, and based on the information we have, it is a more complex and serious situation." She continued, "The suspect broke through barricades with the vehicle and then fired at officers present at the scene." More than 300 police officers were deployed at the time.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the suspect was 42-year-old Shamsud Dean Jabar. He was a U.S. citizen born in the United States, a retired military veteran from Texas. Donald Trump, the then President-elect of the United States, mentioned the incident on the social media platform Truth Social, criticizing crimes committed by illegal immigrants.

Suspect Shamsud Dean Jabar in the New Orleans vehicle ramming incident. Reuters Yonhap News

U.S. President Joe Biden, during a visit to Camp David that day, stated, "The FBI reported that the suspect posted a video on social media hours before the attack expressing inspiration from ISIS (the Islamic State, as referred to by the U.S.) and a desire to kill." President Biden said he instructed relevant authorities to focus on the investigation and that they are looking into possible accomplices. He also mentioned reviewing any connections between this incident and a Tesla Cybertruck fire that occurred the same morning at the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cybertruck fire resulted in one death and seven injuries.

The FBI revealed that an ISIS flag was found in the suspect's vehicle. Authorities said that a video, believed to have been recorded by the suspect while driving from Texas to Louisiana before the attack, included statements claiming affiliation with ISIS.

According to the Associated Press and other sources, the truck used in the attack was rented through the peer-to-peer vehicle sharing service Turo.

Several devices suspected to be improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were found in the truck and at the scene. The FBI is giving significant weight to the possibility of accomplices. At a press conference that day, an FBI official said, "We do not believe this was a lone act by the suspect," adding, "We are not ruling out any possibilities." Louisiana state police confirmed they reviewed footage showing three men and one woman installing improvised explosive devices in the French Quarter.

The FBI is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism. They are examining whether the suspect's political or religious views motivated the attack and if there is any connection to terrorist organizations.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement, "We are working closely with relevant law enforcement agencies to respond to this incident."

A couple who were at the scene told CBS News, "We heard a crash from down the street, and then a white truck hit the barricades at high speed."

The French Quarter is a tourist attraction in New Orleans, and Bourbon Street is one of its representative streets, known worldwide for its New Year's Eve parties. In addition to the people gathered for the New Year's celebration, crowds had also gathered around the stadium in advance of the college football Sugar Bowl playoff game held at the Superdome.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency that day. Additionally, the college football Sugar Bowl semifinal game between the University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame, scheduled for 7 p.m. at the 70,000-seat Superdome, was postponed by 24 hours to the following day.