New Orleans attack: Suspect Shamsud Din Jabbar acted alone; FBI confirms ISIS inspiration

The FBI has officially declared the New Orleans New Year's Day an ‘act of terrorism.’

Previously, the FBI identified the New Orleans truck ramming attacker as Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, a US-born citizen from Texas. Speculations led authorities to consider that he may not have acted alone and possibly worked with others to carry out the attack. However, the FBI has now dispelled those claims, saying he indeed acted alone. Additionally, their investigation along the “act of terror” path has proved to be accurate as officials have labelled the New Year's Day attack that killed 15 people on Bourbon Street an “act of terrorism.”

A black flag with white lettering lies on the ground rolled up behind a pickup truck that a man drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing and injuring a number of people, early Wednesday morning, Jan. 1, 2025. The FBI said they recovered an Islamic State group flag, which is black with white lettering, from the vehicle. (AP)

Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI’s counter-terrorism division, said, “It was premeditated and an evil act.” An Islamic State flag - black with white lettering - was recovered from the back of the truck he reportedly rented through the car rental app, Turo.

ISIS-inspired New Orleans truck attacker suspect Shamsud Din Jabbar

Circling back to his digital footprint, authorities found that the pickup truck driver posted videos to social media hours before he acted on his horrifying plan. The FBI president firmly established that Jabbar was inspired by the Islamic State group and harboured a desire to kill, according to AP News. As of Wednesday, the FBI has also obtained visual proof of Shamsud Din Jabbar placing explosive devices where they were eventually discovered. He is believed to have planted two homemade bombs.