Who was Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the suspect in the deadly New Orleans truck crash now being investigated as terrorism
AP Photo/Matthew Hinton
- FBI identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar as the suspect in the New Orleans truck attack.
- Jabbar, now deceased, was a US citizen from Texas and had a criminal record.
- At least 15 people are confirmed dead, and dozens more were injured.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified the suspect in Wednesday's deadly attack in New Orleans as Shamsud-Din Jabbar.
The agency said Jabbar, who was confirmed dead after a shootout with police, was a 42-year-old US citizen from Texas. His actions are being investigated as a terrorist attack.
At least 15 people are confirmed dead, and dozens more were injured, after the suspect drove a truck into crowds on Bourbon Street at about 3:15 a.m. on New Year's Day. Two police officers were shot but are in stable condition.
The FBI said an ISIS flag, as well as weapons and a "potential" improvised explosive device, were found in the Ford F-150 pick-up truck Jabbar used.
It added other IEDs were found in the French Quarter, and the agency is investigating Jabbar's potential connection to terrorist organizations.
President Joe Biden said in a press conference that, hours before the attack, the suspect had posted videos "inspired by ISIS, expressing a desire to kill."
Jabbar's criminal record, obtained from the Texas Department of Public Safety and viewed by Business Insider, shows two prior arrests in 2002 and 2005.
The first was for theft of $50-$500. The other was for driving with an invalid license. Both were classified as misdemeanors.
FBI Assistant Special Agent Alethea Duncan said in a press conference that the FBI does not believe Jabbar acted alone. She did not specify how many additional suspects the agency is investigating.
"We are aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associates," Duncan said. "We're asking anyone who has information, video, or pictures to provide it to the FBI."
She later added that Jabbar was an Army veteran, and the FBI believes he was honorably discharged.
Jabbar graduated from Georgia State University in 2017 after studying information technology, per an online résumé reviewed by CNN. The media outlet said he worked at Deloitte and Accenture, two of the biggest consultancies. A Deloitte spokesperson told CNN that he worked in a "staff-level role" since his 2021 hiring.
Accenture and Deloitte did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.
Jabbar also held a real estate license in Texas from 2019 to 2023. He took classes in real estate from 2018 to 2021, per the Texas Real Estate Commission.
CNN reported he had divorced twice and that his second ex-wife had a temporary restraining order against him granted in 2020.
Turo, a carsharing company, confirmed to BI that Jabbar used a truck rented through its app to carry out the attack and that it is "actively partnering with the FBI."
"We are not currently aware of anything in this guest's background that would have identified him as a trust and safety threat to us at the time of the reservation," a Turo spokesperson said.
The attack comes ahead of three major events in New Orleans, including the college football Sugar Bowl game, which was scheduled for January 1. Officials said it has been postponed 24 hours.
The city also has its annual Mardi Gras festivities starting on January 6 and the 59th Super Bowl scheduled for February 9.