New Orleans Attack News LIVE: FBI clears Bourbon Street as crime scene
New Orleans Attack News LIVE: On New Year's Day, a US Army veteran, flying an ISIS flag from his truck, swerved around makeshift barriers and drove into New Orleans' crowded French Quarter killing 15 people, and leaving 30 others injured on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
New Orleans Attack News LIVE: A US Army veteran, flying an ISIS flag from his truck, swerved around makeshift barriers and drove into New Orleans' crowded French Quarter on New Year's Day, killing 15 people, and 30 others were injured on Bourbon Street in New Orleans during the early hours of Wednesday (US local time).
According to a report, the suspect – Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the 42-year-old man – previously pled guilty to two charges, including driving under the influence in 2015.
Here are the latest updates:
New Orleans truck attack victims
An 18-year-old aspiring nurse, a single mother, a father of two, and a former Princeton football star were among the 15 victims killed when the driver of a white pickup truck sped down Bourbon Street, where holiday revelers had gathered, early Wednesday morning.
While officials have not yet released the names of those killed in the New Orleans New Year's Day truck attack, their families and friends have begun sharing their stories. New Orleans Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna stated that the names will be released once autopsies are complete and the next of kin have been notified. Approximately 30 others were injured in the attack.
- US President Joe Biden to convene his national security team in the White House Situation Room to receive an update on the investigation into the New Orleans attack, CNN quoted White House spokesperson Emilie Simons as saying.
“At 12:15pm ET, @POTUS will convene members of his homeland security team in the Situation Room to receive an update on the investigation into the terrorist attack in New Orleans,” White House spokesperson Emilie Simons said in a post on social media.
- Sanitation crews allowed onto Bourbon Street
Authorities in New Orleans permitted sanitation crews to come onto Bourbon Street early, reported CNN, adding they would begin cleaning up after the New Years Eve celebrations.
However, sanitation workers were told not to touch any of the trash cans in the area until authorities had made sure there weren’t IEDs.
- FBI clears Bourbon Street as crime scene
The city council member Helena Moreno on 2 January told CNN that the FBI has cleared this scene after they spent most of the previous day collecting evidence from the site of the New Year’s Day terror attack in the French Quarter, but the investigation will be underway. Though the historic Bourbon Street was not immediately reopened to the public.
- Reacting to the New Orleans attack, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz took to X and wrote, "This is terrible news from New Orleans: People celebrating happily are torn from their lives or injured by senseless hatred. We grieve with the families and friends of the victims and wish all those injured a quick recovery."
- 'Hundreds of officers' will be on streets, says New Orleans police chief
New Orleans police chief promised on 2 January that there will be a substantial increase in law enforcement presence on Thursday as the city hosts the Sugar Bowl, one day after the playoff game was postponed following the Bourbon Street terror attack.
“We are going to have absolutely hundreds of officers and staff lining our streets, lining Bourbon Street, lining the French Quarter,” CNN quoted police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick telling NBC’s Today show Thursday morning, adding, “so we are staffing up at the same level, if not more so, than what we were preparing for the Super Bowl.”
“We will have much heavier equipment to harden these softer targets,” Kirkpatrick said.
- Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took to X and wrote, “All Australians are appalled by the attack in New Orleans, a shocking act of violence aimed at people celebrating the new year together. Our first thoughts in this moment are with the victims and their loved ones. Our nation stands with the people of the United States.”
- New Orleans car ramming suspect pleaded guilty to DUI charges in 2015, according to a CNN report, that added Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the 42-year-old man, previously pled guilty to two charges, including driving under the influence in 2015.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky took to X and wrote, “Horrified by the attack in New Orleans, U.S., which has claimed innocent lives and left many injured. We trust that those responsible for this terrible act will be brought to justice. Violence, terrorism, and any threats to human life have no place in our world and must not be tolerated.”
"Our deepest condolences to the families of the victims, and we wish a swift recovery to all those injured. Ukraine stands with the American people and denounces violence, he added.
- French President Emmanuel Macron said, “New Orleans, so dear to the hearts of the French, has been struck by terrorism. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and the injured, as well as with the American people, whose sorrow we share.”
- Condolences for those killed in the New Orleans attack Wednesday are pouring in from around the world. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “the shockingly violent attack in New Orleans is horrific,” adding that his thoughts were with “the people of the United States at this tragic time.
- US President Joe Biden in a post on X, said, “To all the people of New Orleans grieving today, our nation grieves with you. I've directed my team to provide every resource necessary to support the ongoing investigation and ensure there is no remaining threat to the American people.”
- The suspect, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas who had served in Afghanistan, was shot dead by police after crashing into the crowd. The FBI is investigating any possible links he may have to terrorist groups. “We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible," FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan said at a news conference, as reported by AP.
Also Read: Who was Shamsud-Din Jabbar, suspect behind New Orleans truck attack?
- As authorities investigated the grim scene on Wednesday in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter, they discovered an ISIS flag alongside the pickup truck that crashed into the crowd. Two improvised explosive devices were found in the suspect’s vehicle, according to a law enforcement official briefed on the developments who asked not to be identified. Additional potential IED’s were also found in the city’s French Quarter neighborhood, the FBI said, as reported by Bloomberg.
- US President Joe Biden has condemned the horrific car-ramming incident that took place during the New Year celebrations in New Orleans on Wednesday (US local time). Biden stated on Wednesday evening that the FBI had discovered videos posted by the driver on social media hours before the attack. In these videos, the driver expressed being inspired by the Islamic State group and voiced a desire to kill.
Also Read: New Orleans ’terrorist’ attack: Chilling video shows people running as attacker fires multiple shots
- Biden stated that law enforcement is investigating any potential connection between the New Orleans 'terror' attack and the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. Both vehicles involved in the incidents were rented from the car rental service ‘Turo,’, leading authorities to explore possible links between the two events.
- Biden added, “I will continue to receive updates throughout the day, and I will have more to say as we have further information to share. In the meantime, my heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday. There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation's communities.”
- In a statement sent via email, car rental company Turo confirmed that both the truck used in the New Orleans attack and the Tesla Cybertruck that exploded in Las Vegas were rented through its service, as reported by the New York Times.
- President-elect Donald Trump reignited the debate over immigration and crime following a car-ramming incident in New Orleans that left at least 10 people dead and 35 others injured during New Year's Eve celebrations, blaming Democrats for dismissing his warnings about criminal migration into the US.
- In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!”
- “For those people who don’t believe in objective evil, all you have to do is look at what happened in our city early this morning," U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, said, as reported by Reuters ."If this doesn’t trigger the gag reflex of every American, every fair-minded American, I’ll be very surprised.”
There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation's communities.
- FBI officials have repeatedly warned about an elevated international terrorism threat due to the Israel-Hamas war. In the last year, the agency has disrupted other potential attacks, including in October when it arrested an Afghan man in Oklahoma for an alleged Election Day plot targeting large crowds, AP reported.
(With inputs from agencies)
Key Takeaways
- The New Orleans attack highlights an ongoing elevated threat of international terrorism.
- Authorities are investigating connections between separate violent incidents involving rented vehicles.
- Public safety and community responses are crucial in the aftermath of such attacks.
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First Published:2 Jan 2025, 09:07 AM IST
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