ReutersFifteen people were killed and at least 35 injured after a man apparently inspired by the Islamic State group drove into large crowds in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the early hours of New Year’s Day, authorities have said.
Here’s what we know so far about what happened and the perpetrator.
How did the attack unfold?
At 03:15 local time on New Year’s Day, a Ford pick-up truck rammed into crowds gather on Bourbon Street in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter.
CCTV footage shows a white, Ford F-150 Lightning vehicle driving onto the pavement to get around a police car before hitting pedestrians.
Police described the act as “very intentional”, adding that the attacker – identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar – was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did”.
“This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could”, said New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick.
Jabbar was also armed and fired on law enforcement, injuring two officers. He was then killed by police gunfire.
Whit Davis, from Shreveport, Louisiana, told the BBC that he was held in a bar with a large group in the aftermath of the attack while police secured the scene.
When they left, they “were walking past dead and injured bodies all over the street”, he said.
Who was Shamsud-Din Jabbar?
FBIThe FBI has named the assailant as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran and US citizen from Texas.
A flag associated with the Islamic State (IS) group was found in the vehicle he was driving and the FBI said it was investigating what affiliations Jabbar may have had with terrorist groups.
In an evening address, President Joe Biden said the FBI had briefed him on the attack. The suspect uploaded videos to social media “mere hours before the attack” indicating that he was inspired by IS and expressing a “desire to kill”, Biden said.
Suspected improvised explosive devices were also found in the area.
A long gun with a “suppressive device” on it – acting as a silencer – was also recovered.
According to a now-removed LinkedIn profile, Jabbar had worked in various roles in the US Army, including in human resources and IT, before he was discharged. He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010.
In a YouTube video posted in 2020, Jabbar said his time in the military had taught him “the meaning of great service and what it means to be responsive and take everything seriously, dotting i’s and crossing t’s to make sure that things go off without a hitch”.
He studied at George State University from 2015 to 2017, graduating with a degree in Computer Information Systems.
He was married twice. His first marriage ended in 2012 and his second lasted from 2017 to 2022.
He also appears to have worked in real estate, holding a licence that expired in 2021. He had a criminal record, relating to traffic offences and theft.
The pick-up truck he was driving was electric and believed to have been rented in Texas via an app called Turo.
Are there additional suspects?
The FBI said they believed the suspect had help in carrying out his attack, particularly in placing suspected explosive devices.
CBS reports that law enforcement has not yet released evidence of those accomplices.
Earlier reports said authorities were reviewing video footage, but CBS reported that the footage had been determined to only show bystanders.
Who were the victims?
Among the dead is former Princeton University football star Martin “Tiger” Bech, according to the college’s athletics department.
“There was no more appropriate nickname of a Princeton player I coached,” Bob Surace, head football coach, said in a statement.
“He was a ‘Tiger’ in every way – a ferocious competitor with endless energy, a beloved teammate and a caring friend.”
The University of Georgia’s president said one of its students had been critically injured, while the Israeli government said two nationals were among those hurt.
Police say it appears that the victims were mainly locals from New Orleans, even though many tourists were visiting for New Year celebrations and the now-postponed Sugar Bowl, part of the American football college play-offs.
Where did this happen?
Bourbon Street is a well-known nightlife and tourist hotspot that is filled with restaurants, bars and clubs with live music.
It is within New Orleans’ French Quarter, a lively area that attracts tourists and locals, especially to celebrate New Year.
It was established by the French in 1718, and the original grid of streets designed back then is at the heart of what draws visitors to the city.
Every year, upwards of a million people flock to its famous Mardi Gras carnival and parade in the spring, famous for the strings of colourful beads worn by party-goers.
