Driver in fatal New Orleans truck ramming may not have acted alone, had ISIS flag
(VOVWORLD) - A US Army veteran with an ISIS flag on his truck plowed into New Orleans' crowded French Quarter on New Year's Day, killing 15 people in an attack officials believe was carried out with the help of others.
 Police officers stand at the scene where a truck drove into a large crowd on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana, US, January 1, 2025 in this screengrab taken from a video. (ABC Affiliate WGNO/Handout via REUTERS) |
The suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a US citizen from Texas who once served in Afghanistan, was killed in a shootout with police after ramming the crowd.
The FBI said that police found weapons and a potential explosive device in the vehicle and that two potential explosive devices were found in the French Quarter and rendered safe.
"We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible," FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan told reporters. She said it was a "range of suspects" and urged anyone who had contact with Jabbar in the previous 72 hours to contact authorities.
An ISIS flag was found on the rented vehicle, prompting an investigation into possible links to terrorist organizations, the FBI said in a statement.
CNN, citing unnamed sources, reported that investigators found writings with the suspect that the FBI believes support the view that the vehicle attack was inspired by ISIS.