NEW YEAR’S EVE TRAGEDY: 15 killed in ‘terrorism attack’ in New Orleans

International

AT LEAST 15 people were killed and dozens more injured when a pickup truck was driven into a crowd on Bourbon Street during New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans early Wednesday morning.

The suspect has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas.

Authorities have classified the incident as an act of terrorism, and the FBI has launched an extensive investigation.

Jabbar reportedly made a series of videos before the attack, in which he claimed allegiance to ISIS.

These videos were apparently filmed while he was driving at night.

Jabbar served in the U.S. Army from 2007 to 2020 as both a human resources and IT specialist, including a deployment to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010.

Investigators are still exploring whether others may have been involved in the deadly assault, although recent updates suggest that a group of individuals captured in surveillance footage from the French Quarter were not linked to the attack.

The pickup truck used in the attack was rented via Turo, a peer-to-peer car rental platform. This follows a similar use of Turo for the vehicle involved in the recent explosion in Las Vegas.

In the aftermath of the attack, two hospitals under the Ochsner Health system received the majority of the injured.

The health network has issued a call for public blood donations to assist victims.

In response to the tragedy, President Joe Biden urged caution, stressing that investigations must proceed thoroughly and without premature conclusions.

The tragic event also led to a scheduling change for the Sugar Bowl, which will now take place Thursday afternoon instead of Wednesday evening.(CMM)