The suspect behind the deadly New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was found to have discussed plans to kill his family and join ISIS in a series of chilling video recordings. Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas, allegedly drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 15 people and injuring many more. According to officials familiar with the investigation, the videos were recorded while Jabbar was driving from Texas to Louisiana, where he talked about originally planning to gather his family for a “celebration” to kill them but ultimately changed course, deciding instead to join ISIS after experiencing several vivid dreams.
Jabbar, who served in the U.S. Army for over a decade, had previously been deployed to Afghanistan. He left active duty in 2015 and remained in the Army Reserve until 2020. His professional background also included work in IT and business development for firms like Deloitte and Accenture. Despite his military and professional success, Jabbar had faced financial difficulties in recent years, dealing with a struggling real estate business, significant debts, and personal challenges including two divorces.
Authorities reported that Jabbar had potential improvised explosive devices and an ISIS flag in his truck at the time of the attack. He was killed by law enforcement after exchanging gunfire following the rampage. Investigators are now working to determine how Jabbar went from being a military veteran and IT professional to committing a deadly terrorist act. They are analyzing the videos he made in the lead-up to the attack, which reportedly detail his radicalization and intentions.
Jabbar had a history of personal and legal issues, including a guilty plea to a theft charge in 2002 and a temporary restraining order filed by his second ex-wife in 2020. His financial problems were highlighted in court documents, showing that his house was in danger of foreclosure and his businesses were failing. He rented the truck used in the attack from the car-sharing platform Turo, which later disabled the vehicle from further rentals following the incident.
The attack shocked the community, as officials continue to piece together Jabbar’s life and what led him to carry out such a violent act. His transformation from a military veteran to a terrorist suspect, his radicalization, and the impact of his personal struggles are now central to the ongoing investigation.