As New Orleans mourns the loss of 14 lives in a New Year’s Day attack, investigators have unveiled new details about the events leading up to the tragedy.
Authorities have pieced together a timeline of Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s movements, from renting a truck in Houston to his arrival in New Orleans, where he carried out the attack on Bourbon Street.
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Here’s a detailed look at what we’ve learned about Jabbar’s actions leading up to the attack and his background, as revealed by investigators:
2006-2015: Shamsud-Din Jabbar served on active duty in the U.S. Army, including a deployment to Afghanistan in 2009.
2015-2020: Jabbar continued his military service in the Army Reserve.
2017: He graduated from Georgia State University with a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems.
Summer 2024: Jabbar claimed in his videos to have joined ISIS. He expressed his allegiance to the group and discussed his motives for carrying out a public attack.
December 30, 2024: Jabbar rented a white Ford F-150 truck in Houston, Texas. Investigators believe this was the start of his preparations for the attack.
December 31, 2024 (Evening): Jabbar drove from Houston to New Orleans. Surveillance footage captured his arrival in the city.
January 1, 2025 (1:29 a.m. - 3:02 a.m.): Jabbar posted five videos to his Facebook account. In the videos, he declared his allegiance to ISIS, shared his motivations for the attack, and revealed that he had initially considered targeting his own family and friends. He stated he chose a public attack instead to emphasize what he called the “war between believers and disbelievers.”
3:16 a.m.: Surveillance footage showed the truck driving northwest on Canal Street toward the Bourbon Street intersection.
3:20 a.m.: Jabbar used the truck to ram into a crowd of people celebrating New Year’s Day on Bourbon Street. He exited the truck and began firing at law enforcement officers. Police returned fire, killing Jabbar.
Immediately after the attack
- 15 people (including Jabbar) were killed, and dozens were injured.
- Two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were discovered in coolers near the scene. Bomb technicians rendered them safe.
- A black ISIS flag was found attached to the truck’s trailer hitch.
January 1, 2 p.m.: Officials held a press conference to provide updates. At that time, FBI representatives believed that Shamsud-Din Jabbar may have had co-conspirators in the attack, and they detailed his movements from Houston to Bourbon Street. They revealed that Jabbar had posted videos online pledging allegiance to ISIS and left a will before the attack. Surveillance footage showed him placing IEDs at the scene, both of which were safely neutralized. Authorities urged the public to come forward with any information, highlighting the ongoing search for further evidence.
January 2, 10:30 a.m.: FBI officials provided new details about the New Year’s Day truck attack in New Orleans, revealing insights into the motive and actions of the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar. Contrary to earlier reports suggesting co-conspirators, authorities confirmed that the 42-year-old Houston man acted alone. Investigators shared a timeline of events leading up to the attack, including Jabbar renting the Ford F-150 in Houston on Dec. 30 and driving to New Orleans on Dec. 31. In a series of now-removed videos posted online in the hours before the attack, Jabbar pledged allegiance to ISIS and stated that he initially planned to target family and friends but changed his focus to public spaces to draw attention to what he described as a “war between believers and disbelievers.”
January 2, 12:30 p.m.: Bourbon Street reopened to the public after investigators completed initial sweeps of the area.
What happened during the attack?
In the early hours of New Year’s Day, Jabbar drove the rented Ford F-150 onto Bourbon Street, targeting the heart of New Orleans’ celebrations. The attack left 15 people dead and over 30 injured.
Police exchanged gunfire with Jabbar, ultimately killing him. During the subsequent investigation, authorities discovered the two IEDs and an ISIS flag in the truck. The FBI continues to process evidence and has urged anyone with information about Jabbar to come forward.
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