New Orleans Terror Attack Death Toll Rises to 15; FBI Probes ISIS Connection

FBI investigates ISIS links after suspect found with flag and explosives; public urged to assist with information.

New Orleans [US], January 2: The death toll from the New Orleans car-ramming attack on Bourbon Street has risen to 15, with dozens injured, in what the FBI has classified as an “act of terrorism,” CNN reported.

In an official statement, New Orleans Coroner Dwight McKenna confirmed the fatalities, saying, “As of now, 15 people are deceased. It will take several days to perform all autopsies. Once we complete the autopsies and talk with the next of kin, we will release the identifications of the victims.”

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The FBI revealed that the suspect, identified as Shamsud Din Jabbar, was carrying an ISIS flag and multiple suspected explosive devices in his rented vehicle. The vehicle was reportedly sourced from a rental platform called Turo.

Assistant Special Agent Alethea Duncan from the FBI’s New Orleans field office emphasized that Jabbar might not have acted alone. “The investigation is aggressively pursuing every lead, including those related to Jabbar’s known associates,” Duncan said during a news conference.

The FBI urged the public to assist with the investigation. “We’re asking if anybody has had any interactions with Shamsud Din Jabbar in the last 72 hours to contact us. If anyone has information, videos, or pictures, please share them with the FBI,” Duncan added.

Officials confirmed that Jabbar, a US citizen from Texas, had previously served in the US Military.

In a statement on X, the FBI reiterated, “This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others. The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”

The investigation remains ongoing as authorities probe Jabbar’s connections to ISIS and his potential affiliations with extremist groups.