The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the United States has released more information about the deadly New Year's Day car crash in New Orleans, offering a brief timeline of how the suspect carried out his attack to death
In a press conference On Thursday, Christopher Raia, deputy director of the FBI's counterterrorism division, clarified that there is currently only one suspect involved in the attack: a 42-year-old Texas resident. Shamsud-Dim Jabbar.
“We do not assess at this stage that anyone else is involved in this attack other than Shamsud-Dim Jabbar,” Raia said.
Although he stressed that the investigation was still in its early stages, he said, “We are confident at this point that there are no accomplices.”
The news release came just over a day after Jabbar said he drove a rented Ford F-150 pickup truck into holiday crowds celebrating on Bourbon Street, a tourist and nightlife hub in New Orleans.
Fourteen people were killed as the truck went over a traffic barricade on Canal Street and traveled nearly two and a half blocks up the busy pedestrian thoroughfare.
The truck crashed near the intersection with Conti Street, and Jabbar reportedly exchanged gunfire with law enforcement officers as he tried to flee.
He was eventually killed in the exchange. At least 35 people were injured, including two police officers.
Media reports indicate that those killed include a father of two from the city of Baton Rouge, a mother of one from the city of Metairie, Louisiana, and a football player who attended University Princeton.
Revised timetable
Raia explained that authorities now have a better idea of how Jabbar ended up on Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Year's Day, when the attack took place.
“Investigators believe Jabbar picked up the rented F-150 in Houston, Texas, on December 30,” Raia said. “He then drove from Houston to New Orleans on the evening of the 31st.”
In the final hours before the attack, Jabbar posted a series of five videos to his Facebook account, “announcing his support” for the armed group ISIL (ISIS), according to Raia.
The first video was released at 1:29 am local time (07:29 GMT). The last one came at 3:02 am (09:02 GMT). By 3:15 (09:15 GMT), the deadly attack had begun.
This photo indicated to Raia and his colleagues that Jabbar was “100-percent inspired by ISIS”.
“In the first video, Jabbar explains that he intended to harm his family and friends, but he was concerned that the headlines wouldn't focus on, quote, a war between believers and non-believers don't believe,” said Raia.
“Furthermore, he said he had joined ISIS before this summer. He also gave will and will.”
Ongoing research
The authorities, however, confirmed that their investigation into the attack was ongoing.
Evidence technicians continue to comb through the rental pickup truck for evidence. Three phones linked to Jabbar are also being investigated, as well as two laptops.
Raia said FBI agents have received more than 400 tips from the public since the attack. He appealed for more information, particularly about the suspect.
“Whether you know Jabbar personally, worked with him, served in the military or saw him in New Orleans or Texas, we need to talk to you,” Raia said.
Authorities have said Jabbar was a US-born citizen and military veteran who served in Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010.
After leaving the military in 2020, he worked at the consulting company Deloitte and apparently spent time in real estate.
The ISIL flag was finally recovered from the back of Jabbar's rental pickup truck on Wednesday.
Bomb technicians also found two improvised explosive devices, or IEDs, planted in a fountain near the scene of the car: one at the intersection of Bourbon and Orleans streets, and another two blocks away.
“Let me be very clear on this point: This was an act of terrorism. It was predictable and a bad act,” Raia said.
Raia said reports of other explosives found at the scene were either misinformation or “not real operational devices”.
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In Thursday's briefing, Raia also backtracked on an earlier FBI statement that suggested Jabbar was not acting alone.
A day earlier, Alethea Duncan, the special assistant in charge of the FBI's New Orleans bureau, told reporters, “We don't believe that Jabbar was solely responsible. “
But Raia tried to allay concerns that Jabbar may have accomplices who have not yet been apprehended.
“We've had 24 hours now to go through the media, go through phones, interview people, check these videos, check other databases,” Raia said.
“Hundreds and hundreds of leads were made in just 24 hours. We are confident at this point that there are no sponsors. “
He explained that much of the concern came from witnesses who saw people passing by approaching the refrigerators where the IEDs were later found.
“A lot of the early reports came out that there were extra people setting up the refrigerators,” he said.
“It turns out that only supporters on the street were looking inside the fountain. We didn't know that at first.”
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry came in to urge the public's patience with the investigation process.
“Nobody makes a thousand-piece puzzle and puts it together in five seconds,” he told reporters.
Bourbon Street 'Restored'
State and local officials at a news conference Thursday also sought to restore public confidence after the deadly attack, which raised questions about safety measures in popular New Orleans. -trips
New Orleans had been in the process of replacing its bollards – poles used to block traffic in pedestrian hotspots – but city officials have highlighted other obstacles in their area where bollards were removed.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell also revealed that law enforcement officers have cleared the scene of the crime on Bourbon Street and returned the area to city authority.
That allowed street cleaners to work for nearly six hours overnight to prepare the walkway for visitors, including those attending Thursday's Sugar Bowl, a game college football championship.
The game was suspended for a day after the car ram attack, and its stadium, the Caesars Superdome, underwent an extensive security check.
“Safety remains our top priority,” Cantrell said, noting that law enforcement has been deployed throughout the city.
“Because of that, we are confident Bourbon Street will reopen to the public before game time today.”
Governor Landry said there was an “unprecedented amount of law enforcement resources” in the city. He has previously stated that he plans to attend the Sugar Bowl game.
Tourism is a pillar of the New Orleans economy, and is valued 43 million visitors to pass through Louisiana every year.
In 2023 alone, tourists spent a total of $18.1bn and generated $1.9bn in state and local taxes.
This year, the city is set to host not only its traditional Mardi Gras parades – a highlight of the tourist calendar – but also the Super Bowl, the most watched sporting event in the country.
Cantrell gave a nod to the upcoming events in her comments Thursday.
“I want to reassure the public that the city of New Orleans is not only ready for game day today,” she said. “We are ready to continue to host great events in the our city because we are built to entertain.”
