New Orleans Terror Attack: Death Toll Hits 15, Suspect an Army Veteran

Facts

• Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Texas resident and former US Army veteran, has been identified as a suspect who intentionally rammed a pickup truck into New Year's Day crowds on Bourbon Street in New Orleans at 3:15 am on Wednesday.^[1]
• After crashing the vehicle, body armor-wearing Jabbar opened fire on responding police officers with a rifle equipped with a suppressor before he was killed in the ensuing gunfight. The alleged Islamic State-inspired attack killed 15 and injured 35 others, including two officers.^[2][3]
• The FBI recovered an IS flag from the truck and found multiple improvised explosive devices in the French Quarter, two of which were safely neutralized by bomb squads. FBI special agent Alethea Duncan believes Jabbar may not have acted alone.^[2][4]
• Jabbar served in the US Army from 2007 to 2015. After his deployment to Afghanistan from Feb. 2009 to Jan. 2015, he served in the Army Reserve as an IT specialist until 2020 and was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant.[5]
• Pres. Joe Biden confirmed that Jabbar "posted videos on social media indicating that he's inspired by ISIS, expressing the desire to kill." Previously, CNN reported that he had recorded videos about joining the militant group and killing his family after a divorce.^[6]
• The FBI is investigating the Bourbon Street incident as an act of terrorism. Biden said law enforcement is also looking for any connections between the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside Pres.-elect Donald Trump's hotel in Las Vegas and the attack in New Orleans.^[7][8]

Sources: ^[1]NBC (a), ^[2]CBS, ^[3]The Guardian (a), ^[4]NBC (b), ^[5]USA Today, ^[6]Euractiv, ^[7]The Guardian (b) and ^[8]The New York Times.

Narratives

• Narrative A, as provided by NBC and Police1. The attack shows ISIS remains a persistent global threat, and its ability to inspire lone-wolf attacks through online propaganda is very much alive despite territorial losses. The discovery of explosives and an IS flag suggests sophisticated planning and ideological motivation.
• Narrative B, as provided by CBS and PBS. The incident highlights vulnerabilities in domestic security and the need for better protection of soft targets, particularly during major public events. The suspect's military background and access to weapons raise concerns about radicalization within veteran communities.
• Republican narrative, as provided by Truth Social and Newsweek. The shockingly violent attack in New Orleans is a result of weak and ineffective leadership and the US' wide-open borders. Trump's warnings of undocumented immigrants — refuted by Democrats — have turned out to be true.
• Democratic narrative, as provided by The White House and CNN. Local law enforcement's brave and swift response prevented even greater death and injury. Violence, terrorism, and any threats to human life have no place in the US. Those responsible for this terrible act will be brought to justice.