FBI Reveals New Details About New Year's Eve Attack in New Orleans and Terrorist's Preparations

On January 1, 2025, a tragic event unfolded in New Orleans as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar rammed his car into crowds of New Year's Eve revelers on Bourbon Street, resulting in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries. In the aftermath of this devastating attack, authorities launched an extensive investigation to uncover the details surrounding this horrific act of violence. The FBI and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) have made significant revelations regarding Jabbar's premeditated actions leading up to the attack.

Destruction of Evidence

In a joint statement issued on a Friday, the FBI and ATF disclosed that Jabbar attempted to destroy bomb-making evidence before the attack by setting fire to his rental property, an Airbnb. According to the agencies, Jabbar set a small fire in the hallway of the rented accommodation, strategically placing accelerants throughout the house in an effort to destroy both the property and any evidence related to his impending crime.

Investigation and Recovery of Evidence

Fortunately, the fire extinguished itself before spreading to other rooms, allowing the FBI to recover crucial evidence from the rented Airbnb. Among the findings were precursors for bomb-making materials and a device suspected of functioning as a silencer for a rifle. This crucial piece of evidence has heightened concerns regarding the extent of Jabbar's malicious intent and the potential scale of the attack.

Jabbar's Movements and Explosive Devices

Further investigation into Jabbar's activities revealed that he had also placed two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along Bourbon Street. Fortunately, he was unable to detonate the explosives before succumbing to his own attack. It is believed that Jabbar intended to use a transmitter, located in the F150 truck, to activate the IEDs during his assault on Bourbon Street.

Completion of Evidence Recovery

As the investigation progressed, authorities confirmed that the recovery of evidence along Bourbon Street and at the Airbnb rental on Mandeville Street, utilized by Jabbar, has been successfully completed. The evidentiary material collected from multiple sites is currently undergoing evaluation to advance the ongoing investigation.