FBI investigators have revealed new information regarding the movements of the individual responsible for the deadly New Year's Day attack on pedestrians on Bourbon Street. The suspect, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, rented a Ford F-150 pickup truck in Houston using a private vehicle rental service called Turo. He then drove the truck from Houston to New Orleans in the evening leading up to the attack.
Surveillance footage and social media posts have provided insight into Jabbar's actions in the early morning hours of New Year's Day. FBI Deputy Assistant Director of the Counterterrorism Division, Christopher Raia, stated that Jabbar was seen planting improvised explosive devices at two locations on Bourbon Street. The devices were concealed inside a cooler, which attracted the attention of passersby before the attack.
Jabbar also posted videos on Facebook, where he expressed his intentions and claimed allegiance to ISIS. In his final video, he provided a last will and testament before carrying out the attack.
The attack itself involved Jabbar driving down Canal Street, abruptly turning onto a sidewalk on Bourbon Street, and running over dozens of pedestrians. He then opened fire on police officers, injuring two, before being shot and killed by law enforcement.
The FBI is currently analyzing three phones and two laptops linked to Jabbar to gather more information and potential leads related to the attack. Digital media exploitation is a priority for investigators as they seek to uncover any additional details about Jabbar's motives and actions leading up to the tragic event.
