Army Veteran Jabbar Used Meta Glasses to Scout New Orleans Before Killing 14, FBI Says

Jan 5, 2025, 07:14 PM

Authorities have revealed that the man responsible for the New Year's Day truck attack in New Orleans, which killed 14 people, had visited the city twice before in October and November to scout locations. The attacker, identified as 42-year-old Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar, used Meta-branded smart glasses to record hands-free video of the French Quarter during these visits, according to the FBI. The smart glasses, disguised as regular eyewear, allowed him to record and potentially livestream videos hands-free. On Sunday, FBI officials released video footage showing Jabbar wearing the smart glasses as he rode a bicycle through the area and placing coolers containing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), which did not detonate. The FBI is also investigating Jabbar's recent travels to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 to July 2023, and Ontario, Canada, to determine if they are connected to the attack. The smart glasses were not recording during the actual attack, officials noted.