US investigators believe the suspect in the New Orleans attack that killed 15 people on New Year’s Day did not act alone.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, US citizen, allegedly drove a pick-up truck into a crowd on a busy New Orleans street, before exiting the vehicle and opening fire. He was subsequently shot dead by police at the scene.
The FBI reported finding an Islamic State (IS) group flag inside the vehicle driven by Jabbar, along with two improvised explosive devices discovered nearby. FBI Assistant Special Agent Alethea Duncan stated that the agency did not believe Jabbar acted “solely responsible” and is investigating the incident as an “act of terrorism.”
President Joe Biden indicated that investigators were examining potential links between this incident and the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside Trump Hotel in Las Vegas, although he noted, “thus far, there is nothing to report.” The FBI is also considering whether the Las Vegas incident might constitute an act of terrorism, but has not yet confirmed the identity of the driver. Authorities have found no evidence to suggest the Las Vegas incident is related to IS.
Sheriff Kevin McMahill, during a Wednesday news conference, mentioned that police are exploring connections to President-elect Donald Trump, who owns the hotel, or Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla.
In the aftermath of the New Orleans attack, Coroner Dr. Dwight McKenna confirmed that the death toll had risen to 15 by the evening. He stated that it would take several days to conduct all post-mortem examinations, after which the identities of the victims would be officially released.
Footage shows the truck mounting the pavement to avoid a police car before striking pedestrians. The city’s bollard system, designed to block vehicle access to pedestrian areas, was under repair, according to the vice president of the New Orleans City Council, who spoke to the BBC’s Newsday programme. Consequently, temporary barricades were in place, as reported by CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.
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