New Orleans ramming: What we know so far about ISIS-inspired attack that killed 15
FBI says motive of 42-year-old US Army vet Shamsud-Din Jabbar not immediately clear, but it is investigating incident as possible act of terrorism and believes he had accomplices

The United States saw 2025 begin with a violent attack, after a man drove deliberately at high speed into a crowd of New Year’s revelers in New Orleans, killing at least 15 people and wounding dozens more.
Here is what we know so far:
What happened?
A US citizen drove a white Ford pickup truck flying an Islamic State flag into throngs of people celebrating the New Year in the French Quarter, the Louisiana city’s most iconic tourist district, around 3:15 am (0915 GMT), according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
He crashed the vehicle, then opened fire and died in a shootout with police, who said he had driven with the aim of killing as many people as possible.
What is the toll?
Authorities had earlier put the toll at 10, but an FBI spokesman told AFP it had risen to 15, citing the New Orleans coroner’s office.
The assailant shot and wounded two police officers, who were described as being in stable condition, said New Orleans police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.
Video shows the moment the FBI says Shamsud Din Jabbar raced onto a packed Bourbon Street from Canal Street in a pickup truck with Texas plates and an ISIS flag. https://t.co/P0iWiTX30Z pic.twitter.com/hmeB1tUjpc
— FOX 8 New Orleans (@FOX8NOLA) January 1, 2025
What was the motive?
This was not immediately clear but the FBI said it was investigating the attack as a possible act of terrorism.
US President Joe Biden said the suspect had shared videos online that indicated he was “inspired by ISIS,” using another name for the Islamic State armed group.
Officials say the pickup truck was flying a black flag of the Islamic State group and that they had recovered two improvised explosive devices.
Biden said law enforcement was also investigating whether there were any links between a New Orleans attack and the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel Las Vegas.
What is the suspect’s identity?
The FBI said the driver was 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Texas.
The bureau is trying to determine if Jabbar was associated with any terrorist organizations.
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office, said during a news conference that the agency does not believe Jabbar acted alone.

Jabbar enlisted in the Army in March 2007, working in both human resources and information technology. He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, then transferred into the U.S. Army Reserve in 2015, the service said in a statement. Jabbar served until July 2020, leaving the military with the rank of staff sergeant.
Court records show Jabbar faced a deteriorating financial situation in 2022 while separating from his then-wife. Jabbar said he was $27,000 behind on house payments, accumulated $16,000 in credit card debt and wanted to quickly finalize the divorce.
New Orleans "ISIS" attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar worked for one of the largest U.S. government contractors in the country [Deloitte] and according to his "introduction" video on Youtube [which has since been taken down] spent 10 years traveling and working for the U.S. military.… pic.twitter.com/Wq3EMgpFhZ
— Jeremy Loffredo (@loffredojeremy) January 1, 2025
“I have exhausted all means of bringing the loan current other than a loan modification, leaving us no alternative but to sell the house or allow it to go into foreclosure,” he wrote in a January 2022 email to his now-ex-wife’s attorney.
At the time, court documents show he made about $10,000 a month doing business development and other work for the consulting firm Deloitte. In a statement, Deloitte said Jabbar had “served in a staff-level role” since being hired in 2021 and that the company was doing all it could to assist authorities.
Jabbar held a degree in computing from Georgia State University and lived in Houston, Texas, where he had worked as a real estate agent.
The FBI said it believes the suspect may have had accomplices, but gave few additional details.

Where did the attack take place?
The car-ramming took place in the heart of the French Quarter, a historic district known for its vibrant nightlife with many bars, restaurants and jazz venues.
The French Quarter and New Orleans in general are well known for the raucous pre-Lenten street party known as Mardi Gras.
The city was also hosting tens of thousands of people who came to see a major college football game called the Sugar Bowl, which has now been postponed by 24 hours.
New Orleans is also scheduled to host the Super Bowl on February 9.
What have authorities found in their investigation?
Guns and pipe bombs were found in the suspect’s vehicle, according to the State Police bulletin. The devices were concealed within coolers and wired for remote detonation with a remote control that also was found in the vehicle, the bulletin said.