Nathan Williams, a University of New Orleans student, lights a candle at a memorial on Bourbon Street on Friday for the victims of a deadly truck attack on New Year’s Day in New Orleans.
Gerald Herbert/AP
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Gerald Herbert/AP
The FBI has revealed that the man who allegedly carried out the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans had recently visited the city twice beforehand, and used “smart glasses” to record video of the area he later targeted.
In a press conference on Sunday, Lyonel Myrthil, the FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office, said that Shamsud-Din Jabbar had traveled to New Orleans just weeks ahead of the attack that killed 14 people and injured many more.
One trip took place in October, while the other was in November. Myrthil also said Jabbar had ridden through the city’s French Quarter on a bicycle wearing smart glasses made by Ray-Ban that are capable of recording video and are connected to a user’s Facebook account.
Myrthil also said Jabbar traveled to Cairo, Egypt, in 2023 and Ontario, Canada, in the summer of 2024, although it is not clear whether those trips were connected to the attack. Jabbar was a former U.S. Army soldier who became inspired by ISIS, according to investigators.
The FBI said it is pursuing leads in Houston, where Jabbar lived, as well as Tampa, Fla.
“Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he went with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here,” Myrthil said.
Sunday’s press conference offered a more detailed timeline of Jabbar’s actions in the moments leading up to the attack, when he allegedly drove a truck into a crowd celebrating the New Year on New Orleans’ storied Bourbon Street.
FBI agents showed video of Jabbar planting improvised bombs before the attack. Jabbar’s rental truck contained a transmitter that was meant to trigger the devices, according to investigators, but they did not explode. Two of the bombs were left in coolers, one of which was said to have been dragged around by unsuspecting revelers on New Year’s Eve.
After his truck crashed at the end of the attack, Jabbar exited the vehicle and fired at police, wounding at least two officers, before he was fatally shot.
The FBI said it had recovered two semi-automatic guns that Jabbar had with him in the truck: a 9mm pistol and a 308-caliber rifle. The rifle had a “privately-made silencer,” which was purchased during a private sale in Texas, investigators said.
On leaving the house he was staying in before the attack, Jabbar also set a small fire in a hallway, but the flames burned out before firefighters arrived, the FBI said.
The FBI still believes Jabbar carried out the attack by himself.
“All investigative details and evidence that we have now still support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans,” said FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia. “We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking into potential associates in the U.S. and outside of our borders.”
Officials said they are still unsure what the motive was for the attack, or why he chose New Orleans.
Also at the press conference, New Orleans mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city is working to improve safety, bringing in a tactical expert to assess security across the region. Mardi Gras parades begin Monday, and the city is hosting the Super Bowl next month. Police have used multiple vehicles and barricades to block traffic at Bourbon and Canal streets since the attack.
Cantrell also spoke of preparations for the visit of President Biden, who is planning to travel to New Orleans with first lady Jill Biden on Monday to grieve with the families of victims.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also spoke at the start of the press conference, saying the innocent lives lost will never be forgotten. Landry has declared a period of mourning for the victims, beginning on Monday, with a different victim to be remembered each day.
On Saturday, the last of the 14 victims of the attack were identified: LaTasha Polk, a nursing assistant in her 40s, and a British man, Edward Pettifer. Pettifer was the stepson of a former nanny to the Royal Family, which led Prince William, son of King Charles, to express his shock and sadness at the death.
The coroner’s office said all the victims died from blunt force injuries. Most victims were in their 20s, with the youngest victim 18 years old and the oldest 63. About 30 people were injured, and 16 remained hospitalized as of Friday.
Later on Saturday night, New Orleans residents held a vigil on Bourbon Street, tearfully carrying memorial crosses and pictures of victims.
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