New Orleans tragedy: What we know after driver crashes into crowd on Bourbon Street

UPDATED: Jan 2, 2025 00:16 IST

The driver was killed in a firefight with police following the attack around 3:15 a.m. in an area teeming with New Year’s revelers, the FBI said.

The FBI has identified the attacker in the New Orleans mass killing as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas. Authorities are investigating his potential affiliations with terrorist organizations, the bureau confirmed in a statement.

Jabbar was killed in a firefight with police around 3:15 a.m. Wednesday, following an attack in an area crowded with New Year’s revelers. At least 10 people were killed during the rampage.

An Islamic State group flag was recovered from Jabbar’s vehicle, raising concerns about possible extremist motives.

Here’s what we know about the attack:

What happened?

Police said the driver sped through a crowd along Bourbon Street around 3:15 a.m. on Wednesday as revelers had gathered to celebrate the start of the New Year. Ten people were killed and more than 30 others were injured. Injured were taken to five local hospitals. Two police officers were also wounded in a shootout with the suspect.

What do police say about the suspected motive?

The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism. Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did” and he tried “to run over as many people as he could.”

What happened to the driver?

FBI said the suspect is dead. New Orleans police said that after the vehicle came to a stop, the suspect reportedly opened fire on responding officers, who returned fire. The suspect was struck and subsequently declared dead at the scene. Further information on the suspect was not released.

Who was in the crowd?

Bourbon Street was bustling with revellers ringing in 2025 at New Year’s Eve parties when the attack happened. Crowds in New Orleans have been ballooning in anticipation of Wednesday night’s Sugar Bowl college football playoff game between No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame. Officials said that game would go on as scheduled.

Have there been similar deadly attacks involving vehicles?

Wednesday’s attack in New Orleans is the latest example of a vehicle being used as a weapon around the world to carry out mass violence. The trend has alarmed enforcement officials because such attacks can be difficult to protect against. Last month, a 50-year-old Saudi doctor plowed into a Christmas market teeming with holiday shoppers in the German city of Magdeburg, killing four women and a 9-year-old boy.

(With input from AP)