02.01.2025 06:35
New Orleans New Year's Eve Massacre: 15 Dead
A 42-year-old man drove a car into a crowd celebrating New Year's Eve in New Orleans, USA, and then opened fire. The incident killed 15 people and injured 30. The shooter was also shot dead by police. The killer is said to have links to ISIS.
An unidentified man drove a car into a crowd in the city center of New Orleans, USA, on New Year's Eve, the BBC reported. According to the latest reports, 15 people were killed and 35 injured.
A car plowed into a crowd celebrating New Year's Eve on Bourbon Street at high speed, after which the driver got out and started shooting. Police returned fire. Two police officers were injured in the shooting.
Police believe the driver deliberately crushed people in an attempt to cause maximum damage.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation said it was investigating the incident as a terrorist attack.
The FBI later issued a statement confirming the suspect's name as Shamsud-Din Jabbar and that an ISIS flag was found in his (possibly rented) car.
The statement also said that a 42-year-old man died at the scene of the crime in a shootout with law enforcement and that he was a US citizen living in Texas.
Later, at a press conference in New Orleans, representatives of the city, Louisiana state government, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation clarified that Jabbar was born in the United States and has been a citizen of the country since birth.
FBI Special Agent Alethea Duncan, speaking at a news conference, added that authorities believe the attacker had accomplices. She also said that two improvised explosive devices were found and defused in the French Quarter of New Orleans, where the massacre took place.
Duncan noted that Jabbar was a former military officer. The reasons for his resignation are being investigated.
The tragedy occurred at approximately 3:00 a.m. local time as people were celebrating New Year's Eve.