Official FBI announcements or press releases

FBI: New Orleans Attacker Jabbar Visited City Twice Before Deadly Rampage That Killed 14

Jan 5, 2025, 06:25 PM

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Houston, was responsible for the truck attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans on New Year's Day that killed 14 people, according to the FBI. Authorities revealed that Jabbar had visited New Orleans twice before the attack, possibly to scout locations, and had recorded video footage of the French Quarter using Meta glasses. The FBI disclosed that Jabbar had traveled to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 to July 3, 2023, then to Ontario, Canada, and they are investigating potential ties between these trips and the attack. Officials also noted that Jabbar had traveled within the Tampa area, though the timing was not immediately clear. FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil stated that the investigation is crossing state and international borders, and that they are determining whether Jabbar received any assistance. The FBI believes Jabbar acted alone but continues to look into potential contacts in the U.S. and overseas. Jabbar was employed at the time of the attack. The investigation aims to understand the full scope of his activities.