New Orleans authorities are responding to a “mass casualty incident” in which at least 12 people have died and 35 have been injured after a vehicle drove into a crowd in the city’s bustling Bourbon Street area during the early hours of New Year’s Day. The suspect is dead, authorities have confirmed.
Police said the suspected driver was “hell bent on creating the carnage he did” and also opened fire on officers. The FBI has said it is investigating the incident as an “act of terrorism.” The agency has also said an improvised explosive device (IED) was found at the scene.
Suspect accused of attacking Bourbon Street reportedly identified
The suspect involved in the attack on Bourbon Street, where a truck was driven through a crowd, has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, according to a law enforcement source. Police shot and killed Jabbar after the incident.
The source also claimed that Jabbar was carrying an ISIS flag in the truck at the time of the attack. This information is yet to be officially confirmed, and investigations into the incident are ongoing.
Truck involved in New Orleans incident crossed Eagle Pass in November
Authorities are set to release further details on the truck involved in a recent incident. Sources tell FOX News the truck crossed the U.S.-Mexico border at Eagle Pass, TX, on November 16, contrary to earlier reports.
The driver who initially crossed the border does not appear to be the shooter, and the truck changed hands during the investigation. Law enforcement continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident.