ISIS-inspired attack in New Orleans leaves 15 dead
The man who drove a pickup truck into a crowded nightlife district in New Orleans on Wednesday posted videos online just hours before the attack, indicating his inspiration was from ISIS. He claimed he had a "desire to kill," US president Joe Biden stated during a press conference at Camp David.
The Islamic State (ISIS) flag, weapons and two homemade explosives were found in the truck. According to the FBI, the attacker, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, did not act alone.
At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured when the driver rammed a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day.
Police shot and killed Jabbar at the scene. The FBI revealed that Jabbar, a former US Army soldier, served from 2007 to 2015, including deployment to Afghanistan, and continued in the Army Reserve until 2020.
Jabbar had previously pled guilty to two charges, including driving under the influence in 2015. He was charged with Level 5 DWI, the least severe level of the offence in North Carolina and has his driver’s licence suspended. He was placed on probation for 12 months, fined USD 200 and complied with 24 hours of community service.
Investigating possible ties to Trump Hotel explosion
Meanwhile, US security services are also investigating whether the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas was a terrorist attack, which the FBI confirmed during a Wednesday press conference.
The explosion killed the Cybertruck’s driver and injured seven others. Las Vegas Police Chief Kevin McMahill said authorities have identified the individual who rented the vehicle, though he declined to provide further details, stating, "We are 100 per cent certain of the identification, but the family must be notified first."
The Cybertruck, rented in Colorado, arrived in Las Vegas at around 19:30 local time. Twenty seconds after stopping in front of the hotel, the vehicle exploded.
Members of the FBI and New Orleans Police work the scene on Bourbon Street after at least 15 people were killed when a man drove into a crowd in the early morning hours of New Year's Day on 1 January, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. © PHOTO CHRIS GRAYTHEN/ GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA via AFP
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