The iconic French Quarter of New Orleans, typically buzzing with the rhythm of celebration, turned into a harrowing scene of terror in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
People enjoying themselves on Bourbon Street, gathered to welcome the New Year, found themselves fleeing for their lives as gunshots echoed in the atmosphere.
The chaos began when a rented white Ford pickup truck plowed into a crowd of partygoers, leaving 15 dead and over 30 injured. The vehicle, driven by 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, crashed into a construction vehicle before coming to a halt. Within moments, gunfire erupted between Jabbar and New Orleans police officers who responded to the carnage.
Videos captured by witnesses show the horrifying sequence of events. Screams echoed through the street as people scrambled to find safety. The crack of dozens of gunshots punctuated the chaos, with police engaging in a fierce firefight with Jabbar. The confrontation ended with Jabbar’s death.
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Authorities later revealed that Jabbar had declared his allegiance to ISIS in videos posted online prior to the attack. A black ISIS flag was found flying from the rear bumper of his truck, prompting the Federal Bureau of Investigation to classify the attack as an act of terrorism.
“This was a calculated and deliberate act of terror,” said an FBI spokesperson during a press conference. “Jabbar’s actions were aimed at causing maximum harm and instilling fear during a time of celebration.”
Jabbar, a US citizen from Texas, was once an Army staff sergeant. He served for a decade, including deployments to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2019. After leaving active duty in 2015 and concluding his service in the reserves in 2020, Jabbar’s civilian life was fraught with challenges. Financial difficulties stemming from two divorces, a failed real estate venture, and struggles in his IT career seemed to overshadow his years of military service.
