The suspect in the New Orleans terror attack that left 10 dead and dozens more injured has been named.
Shamsud Din Jabbar is reported to be the man who drove a pick up truck with an ISIS flag on it into New Year’s Eve revellers on Bourbon Street according to law enforcement officials briefed on the case speaking to NBC News.
Texas-born Jabbar then started firing at police officers before being shot dead. Officials are now working to identify more information about the 42-year-old’s background and travel history.
The sources told the outlet that they are investigating whether Jabbar used a long-gun rifle to fire at the crowd while running people over. An improvised explosive device (IED) was also found at the scene.
The FBI has confirmed it’s treating the incident as a terrorist attack after at least 10 were killed and 35 more injured.
The Bureau’s statement reads: “An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle and the FBI is working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organisations.
“Other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter. The FBI’s Special Agent Bomb Technicians are working with our law enforcement partners to determine if any of these devices are viable and they will work to render those devices safe.”
The attack happened at 3.15am local time when Jabbar, using a vehicle with a Texas licence plate, sped past safety barriers, ploughing through a crowd of pedestrians ringing in the new year.
New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno said police confirmed he was in full military gear and not a local resident, accoring to NBC affiliate WDSU.
Witnesses claim the driver also discharged a firearm as he ran over people, with the gunshots initially mistaken for New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Alethea Duncan from the FBI’s New Orleans branch revealed that authorities are probing the discovery of an improvised explosive device left at the scene.
She said: “It was very intentional behaviour. This man was trying to run over as many people as he could.”
In response, Donald Trump issued a statement commenting on America’s crime rate and announcing his full support for New Orleans as the city recovers.
He wrote on Truth Social: “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.”
