UPDATE #1: Authorities said that the death toll is now up to 15. The suspect Jabbar served in the US Army between March 2007 and January 2015. He completed an 11-month tour in Afghanistan in 2009/2010. After leaving active duty, he served as a reserve until July 2020.
UPDATE #2 at 3:12 PM: FBI Houston and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office is conducting law enforcement activity near the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive in north Houston. They have secured a perimeter in the area and are asking residents to avoid the area. This activity is related to the attack in New Orleans. Due to the ongoing investigation, no further information can be provided.
Original post:
The New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) responded to a tragic incident that occurred early morning, January 1, 2025, at the intersection of Bourbon and Canal streets. A pickup truck drove into a crowd of pedestrians, resulting in multiple fatalities and injuries. The suspected perpetrator was also fatally shot after opening fire on responding officers.
At approximately 3:17 a.m., NOPD officers received reports of a vehicle driving into pedestrians on Bourbon Street. Initial investigations revealed that 10 victims were declared deceased at the scene, and approximately 35 additional individuals sustained injuries. The injured were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. No updates on their conditions have been provided at this time.
After crashing, the suspect reportedly exited the vehicle and fired upon law enforcement officers. Officers returned fire, striking the suspect, who was pronounced dead at the scene. Two NOPD officers were injured in the exchange and were transported to a local hospital, where they are listed in stable condition.
The suspect has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar , a U.S. citizen from Texas . He was driving a rented Ford pickup truck, and authorities are working to confirm how he obtained the vehicle. Inside the truck, an ISIS flag was discovered, prompting the FBI to investigate the incident as a potential act of terrorism. Weapons and a possible improvised explosive device (IED) were also found in the vehicle. Additional IEDs have been located in the French Quarter, and FBI bomb technicians are working with local law enforcement to assess and neutralize any viable devices.
The FBI is the lead agency in the ongoing investigation and is working closely with NOPD and other partners to determine the suspect’s associations and affiliations. Authorities are running down all leads to identify possible accomplices.
New Year Day Bloodshed in Chicago: 1 Killed, 15 Injured in Multiple Shootings
Due to the ongoing investigation, the public is advised to avoid Bourbon Street from Canal to Dumaine Streets, and the surrounding areas, including Royal Street and Dauphine Street, as the scene remains active.
Anyone seeking to connect with family or friends who may have been in the area at the time of the incident is urged to call 311. Emergency calls should be reserved for emergencies only.
The FBI has set up a digital tip line, and we ask anyone with information or video of the incident to submit them to www.fbi.gov/bourbonstreetattack or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
List of victims (will be updated as more information is released)
- Tiger Bech , aged 27, originally from Lafayette, LA. Bech was a former football player at STM , then at Princeton University.
- Reggie Hunter , aged 37, from Baton Rouge, LA. He was a warehouse manager and a father of two.
- Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux , aged 18, from Gulfport, MS. Graduated from Harrison Central High School in Gulf Port and was to start nursing program at Blue Cliff College this month. In a facebook post, her Mom said that she told Nikyra not to go out for New Year’s Eve.
- Nicole Perez , aged 28, from Metairie, LA. A mother of a four-year-old boy.