by Paul Dragu January 1, 2025 ( January 1, 2025 )
A man drove a pickup into a thick crowd Wednesday morning in New Orleans. / Photo from X
America is ringing in the new year with a bang. A man drove a pickup truck into a dense crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans early Wednesday morning, and a Tesla Cybertruck exploded in front of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas later in the day.
The suspect in the New Orleans attack is 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, according to the FBI. He allegedly rammed his vehicle in the crowd around 3:15 a.m, killing 10 and injuring dozens.
“After hitting the crowd, he exited the vehicle and fired upon local law enforcement,” the FBI said a statement. “Law enforcement returned fire, and the subject was pronounced deceased at the scene. Two law enforcement officers were injured and transported to a local hospital.” The FBI said that Jabbar is a U.S. citizen from Texas.
Jabbar, a U.S. Army veteran, had an ISIS flag on the back of his rented Ford F-150 when he allegedly plowed into the crowd. The FBI is “working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations.” Assistant Special Agent for the F.B.I. in New Orleans Alethea Duncan confirmed in a news conference that two I.E.D.s had been found and disposed of, according to The New York Times.
Jabbar was a real estate agent.
In Las Vegas, a Tesla truck exploded in front of a Trump hotel. Footage of the explosion can be viewed here.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said they are “investigating” and that the fire had been put out.
