THE NEWS
New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans turned tragic early Wednesday after a terrorist mowed down revelers on the city’s iconic Bourbon Street, killing at least 15 and injuring dozens of others, officials said.
After ramming into the crowd, driver Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, was shot dead during a gunfight with cops that left two officers injured.
He drove an EV pickup truck — which displayed a black ISIS flag on the back — through the barricades on the corner of Bourbon and Canal streets.
At least three improvised pipe bombs were found nearby in the city’s famed French Quarter, including one in Jabbar’s truck. Two were homemade with nails hidden in blue coolers, sources told The Post.
THE DRIVER
Jabbar—who died at the scene of the attack—was a U.S.-born citizen who lived in Texas, FBI Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Alethea Duncan said at a Wednesday afternoon press conference.
In 2012, Jabbar and Nakedra Charrlle Jabbar’s marriage came to an end. The New York Times reported that his second marriage also came to an end in 2022.
The Times also reported that the pair shared two children together. Court documents reviewed by Fox News Digital showed that Jabbar missed child support payments to the couple’s children.
Army Service:
The FBI also revealed that Jabbar was an Army veteran.
“What I can tell you, the person was an Army veteran,” Duncan said. “We believe he was [an] honorable discharge. But we’re working through this process to figure out all this information.”
Jabbar served in the Army as a Human Resource Specialist and Information Technology (IT) Specialist from March 2007 until Jan. 2015.
Following active duty, he served in the Army Reserves as an IT Specialist from Jan. 2015 until July 2020.
During his tenure, he deployed to Afghanistan from Feb. 2009 to Jan. 2010.
He was also awarded a variety of distinguishments throughout his service, including a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
His awards included the Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with Campaign star, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon, NATO Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Parachutist Badge, and the Driver and Mechanic Badge.
Prior to his service in the Army, Fox News confirmed that he attempted to first join the Navy. He was discharged before he could have served in the Navy.
“Our records show that a Shamsuddin Bahar Jabbar enlisted on Aug. 12, 2004, in Navy Recruiting District Houston and was discharged from the Delayed Entry Program one month later on Sept. 13, 2004. He did not go to Recruit Training Command,” the spokesperson with the U.S. Navy said.
Criminal Record:
Jabbar was charged with two minor crimes in 2002 and 2005, according to documents reviewed by Fox News Digital.
In 2002, he was charged with misdemeanor theft in Katy, Texas and in 2005 with driving with an invalid license.
Voting Record:
He has an active voting registration in Texas, according to records reviewed by Fox News Digital. Texas does not have partisan voting registration.
OFFICIALS POSTPONE SUGAR BOWL IN THE WAKE OF APPARENT TERROR ATTACK ON BOURBON STREET
He previously resided in North Carolina, where, in 2012, he was registered as a Democrat.
FBI STATEMENT
The FBI initial statement:
“This is not a terrorist event. What it is right now is improvised explosive devices that was found.”
FBI agents like this, who originally told us this was NOT A TERR0RIST ATTACK despite a literal ISIS flag found on scene, need to be SACKED on Trump’s first day
This is RIDICULOUS.
NOBODY trusts the FBI anymore. pic.twitter.com/zZYnsOPkY6
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 1, 2025
The FBI updated statement:
Authorities do not believe that Shamsud-Din Jabbar was “solely responsible” for the attack, a special agent for the FBI in New Orleans, has said.
Alethea Duncan said the FBI was working to determine the suspect’s terrorist affiliations, and confirmed that an Isis flag had been attached to his truck.
She asked anyone who had been in contact with Jabbar in the past 72 hours to contact the FBI
There are at least 4 to 5 others involved, sources tell FOX Digital.
Waiting on official confirmation from FBI at an upcoming press conference. https://t.co/JTotbI0uHF
— Aishah Hasnie (@aishahhasnie) January 1, 2025
Update:
Feds ruled out that the ISIS flag-flying terrorist had help from four people spotted on surveillance footage near the deadly attack Wednesday.
Video surveillance from the French Quarter seemingly showed three men and one woman planting explosives at multiple locations, a federal alert to police departments around the country said soon after the tragic attack.
Federal authorities have since ruled out their involvement in the tragic attack but still suggested that terror suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, was not “solely responsible” for the carnage.
DEI FAIL NEW ORLEANS
New Orleans police chief Anne Kirkpatrick heading truck terror probe is 65.
- Fired as Oakland police chief in 2020
- Was paid $1.5 million for wrongful dismissal
- Hits 2 pedestrians in police cruiser in August
New Orleans Police head Anne Kirkpatrick used to be the police chief of… Oakland, California. She was fired and then hired in New Orleans.
She was also recently investigated after striking 2 pedestrians while driving. pic.twitter.com/IKK1ac6a7x
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) January 1, 2025
New Orleans Superintendent of Police Anne Kirkpatrick is ALSO an instructor for the FBI’s Leadership Training Program, where she instructs on “Bias and Diversity”. She’s the chief of New Orleans Police Dept and a DEI teacher.
DEI is a danger to the security of our country. pic.twitter.com/SEzFfFmvU0
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) January 1, 2025
6 months ago the New Orleans FBI office was doing DEI hiring events. Maybe they should have been more focused on hiring the best people who are good at catching terrorists instead?
Hiring solely to “increase diversity” is a threat to national security for everyone. DEI must end. pic.twitter.com/NabQ6t6Bmn
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) January 1, 2025
Steel barriers on New Orleans’s Bourbon Street had been malfunctioning and bollards on the popular thoroughfare were down for repair ahead of a deadly attack early Wednesday morning, police said.
“This particular terrorist drove around onto the sidewalk and got around the hard target. We did have a car there, we had barriers there, we had officers there, and they still got around,” New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
“We knew these were malfunctioning. So we did indeed have a plan, but the terrorist defeated it,” Kirkpatrick added.
Bollards installed on Bourbon Street were also being replaced ahead of the Super Bowl, which the city is set to host next month, and were not up at the time of the attack.
This article was updated.
