JUST IN: FBI Reveals Latest Details On New Orleans Terror Attack

On Thursday, the FBI confirmed that the perpetrator of the New Orleans terror attack, identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, had posted multiple videos on Facebook proclaiming allegiance to ISIS before carrying out his actions. The videos, uploaded between 1:29 AM and 3:02 AM, outlined Khalid’s intentions and his radicalization journey.

FBI officials detailed that Khalid drove from Houston to New Orleans on the evening of the attack, leaving behind a disturbing online trail. The videos included a will and testament and statements suggesting that Khalid initially planned to target his own family and friends but shifted his focus to “amplify the war between believers and disbelievers,” according to FBI Assistant Direct Christopher Raia.

Khalid, who claimed to have joined ISIS before the summer, appeared to be motivated by a desire for broader impact, stating in one video his concerns that harming his family would not draw sufficient attention to his extremist ideology. The FBI and ATF have been investigating multiple crime scenes, including one on Bourbon Street, which has since been released, and another in Mandeville, where searches are ongoing.

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The New Year’s truck attack on Bourbon Street claimed the lives of 14 people and injured 35 others and was carried out solely by Jabbar, an Army veteran. No other suspects were reportedly involved.

Law enforcement sources told ABC News that Jabbar placed explosive devices in the area before changing clothes to blend in with the crowd before initiating the attack. Originally from Beaumont, Texas, he served as a human resources and IT specialist in the U.S. Army from 2007 until 2015, which included a tour in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2010. He then served in the Army Reserve until 2020, reaching the rank of staff sergeant. After his military career, he entered the real estate industry, holding a Texas license from 2018 to 2023 and working for Ernst & Young and Deloitte.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar

Jabbar faced severe financial challenges, including heavy debts and obligations from child support following multiple divorces. In the months before the New Orleans attack, Jabbar’s behavior became increasingly unstable, and he showed signs of radicalization. Having recently converted to Islam, he posted videos endorsing ISIS and even displayed an ISIS flag on his vehicle during the attack. The attack is now recognized as one of the most lethal terrorist events in the U.S. since 9/11.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry likened the ongoing investigation to assembling a jigsaw puzzle on Thursday. Authorities have received over 400 tips and are meticulously examining Jabbar’s laptops and phones, according to Raia. Landry added, “More than 1,000 law enforcement officers have been pouring over countless amounts of data, of videos, of surveillances, interviews, tracking down every possible lead.”

Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick stated, “This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil.”

A childhood friend of Jabbar, recalling their years together in Beaumont, Texas, “What happened today was a complete 180 of anything I ever knew about him,” said Chris Pousson to NBC News, who referred to Jabbar as “Sham” and last spoke with him around 2017 or 2018. “He was very quiet, very reserved, smart, articulate.”

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