New Orleans attack: All about Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the ISIS-inspired US Army veteran behind truck attack that killed 15

Prior to his Army service, Jabbar briefly enlisted in the Navy in August 2004 through a delayed entry program but was discharged within a month (Image: Reuters)

In the tragic New Year's Day incident in New Orleans, the FBI has identified 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US Army veteran from Texas, as the suspect. Jabbar, originally from Beaumont, Texas, is accused of driving a Ford pickup truck into a crowd, leaving at least 15 people dead and many others wounded.

Police described the act as “very intentional”, adding that the attacker was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did”, BBC reported. Jabbar was armed and exchanged fire with law enforcement, injuring two officers before being fatally shot by police.

Who was Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the suspect in the New Orleans attack?

- Shamsud-Din Jabbar reportedly served in the US Army for 13 years including a deployment to Afghanistan.

- Jabbar served in the Army as a human resource specialist and information technology specialist from 2007 until 2015. He then joined the Army Reserve as an IT specialist until 2020, holding the rank of staff sergeant at the end of service, Reuters reported citing an Army official. He was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, the official stated further.

- Prior to his Army service, Jabbar briefly enlisted in the Navy in August 2004 through a delayed entry program but was discharged within a month.

- In the recent past, Jabbar was reportedly involved in a series of businesses.

- Court records reveal that Jabbar was divorced in 2022, terminating a five-year marriage. The couple had one child. Prior to the attack, there is no indication of a violent criminal history on his record, according to reports.

- According to Texas records, Jabbar was charged with a misdemeanor in 2002 for a property theft and arrested in 2005 for driving with an invalid license, the Reuters report added.

JUST IN: New footage shows the moment Shamsud Din Jabbar allegedly navigated around a police cruiser barricade to carry out the terror attack.According to local reports, the city of New Orleans was replacing Bourbon Street bollards.We have these hydraulic steel barriers from pic.twitter.com/gTSQAEHvyA
Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 1, 2025

- Hours before the attack, the US Army veteran had posted a video on his social media saying he was inspired by the Islamic State group and expressed a desire to kill. President Joe Biden said Wednesday evening that the FBI found the videos the driver posted to social media. He called the attack a “despicable” and “heinous act.”

- FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan said that Jabbar was not solely responsible for the attack.

- He studied at George State University from 2015 to 2017, graduating with a degree in Computer Information Systems, according to BBC. The report also says that he was married twice.

The attack injured about 30 other people, including two police officers wounded by gunfire from the suspect. It took place around 3:15 a.m. (0915 GMT) near the intersection of Canal and Bourbon Streets, opens new tab, an historic tourist destination known for its music and bars where crowds were celebrating the New Year.

(With agencies inputs)