Authorities say the driver of a pick-up truck sped through a crowd of pedestrians gathered in New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter district early on New Year’s Day, killing at least 15 people and injuring about 30 other revellers.
The suspect was killed in a shootout with police.
The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism and said it does not believe the driver acted alone.
Wednesday’s attack unfolded on Bourbon Street, known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties.
Large crowds also gathered in the city ahead of the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game that had been scheduled for later on Wednesday at the nearby Superdome. The game was postponed until Thursday night following the attack.
Here is what we know about the attack:
– What happened?
Police said the driver steered around a police blockade and raced through a crowd along Bourbon Street at around 3.15am local time on Wednesday as revellers gathered to celebrate the new year. At least 15 people were killed and about 30 injured. Two police officers wounded in the shootout with the suspect were in a stable condition.
Authorities also found potential explosive devices in the French Quarter, the FBI said. Surveillance footage showed three men and a woman placing one of multiple improvised explosive devices, according to a Louisiana State Police intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press.
– Who was the driver and what was his motive?
The FBI said the driver was 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a US citizen and army veteran from Texas.
A flag representing the so-called Islamic State group was found on the vehicle’s trailer hitch, the FBI said. The bureau is trying to determine if Jabbar was associated with any terrorist organisations.
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said during a news conference that the agency does not believe Jabbar acted alone.
Police commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did” and he tried “to run over as many people as he could”.
Jabbar enlisted in the army in March 2007, working in both human resources and information technology. He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, then transferred into the US army reserve in 2015, the service said in a statement. Jabbar served until July 2020, leaving the military with the rank of staff sergeant.
– What have authorities found in their investigation?
Guns and pipe bombs were found in the suspect’s vehicle, according to the state police bulletin. The devices were concealed within coolers and wired for remote detonation with a remote control that was also found in the vehicle, the bulletin said.
– Who was in the crowd?
Authorities said Bourbon Street was filled with revellers toasting the start of 2025 when the attack occurred. Crowds in New Orleans also ballooned in anticipation of the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game between number two Georgia and number three Notre Dame. That game was postponed until Thursday night.
– What protections are there for pedestrians on Bourbon Street?
City documents show New Orleans has been in the midst of a major project to remove and replace post-like barriers called bollards designed to prevent vehicle attacks along Bourbon Street. That project began in November and involves replacing old bollards with new removable stainless steel bollards.
– Have there been similar deadly attacks involving vehicles?
Wednesday’s attack in New Orleans is the latest example of a vehicle being used as a weapon to carry out mass violence. The trend has alarmed law enforcement officials because such attacks can be difficult to protect against. Last month, a 50-year-old Saudi doctor ploughed into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers in the German city of Magdeburg, killing four women and a nine-year-old boy.
