SVE NEWS & CNN.COM Sharing Series — FBI identifies suspect involved in New Orleans attack that killed at least 15 people

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New Orleans now walking a “difficult tightrope” when hosting series of huge events, city council member says

New Orleans city council member Jean-Paul Morrell told CNN that the city is now “recalibrating on a massive scale” how to balance being safe while also maintaining its image as “the city everyone loves.”

The Sugar Bowl, which is a draw for people across the country and was scheduled for Wednesday night, has been postponed by 24 hours. New Orleans is also due to host the Super Bowl next month and the Mardi Gras carnival in March, which attracts about a million people annually.

Morrell said New Orleans is “already in the midst of looking at infrastructure improvements” for these events.

The city, Morrell said, is walking a “difficult tightrope” and is “recalibrating on a massive scale to see how we can continue to be the city everyone loves, while also making sure that we are safe.”

Notre Dame head coach responds to New Orleans tragedy ahead of postponed Sugar Bowl

A sign for the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame is seen outside the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, after people were killed on Bourbon Street when a person drove into a crowd in the early morning hours of January 1.

Notre Dame football team head coach Marcus Freeman expressed his condolences and solidarity with New Orleans and the victims, hours before the now-postponed Sugar Bowl game against the University of Georgia.

At least 15 people were killed and dozens injured when a driver rammed a pickup truck into a crowd during New Year’s celebrations on Bourbon Street in New Orleans early Wednesday morning. The FBI is investigating it as an “act of terrorism.”

Freeman said he had been told that there had been some sort of tragedy prior to meeting with the team Wednesday but that they still planned to play in the Sugar Bowl as scheduled.

As details emerged about the severity of the incident and discussions of postponement grew, the team reconvened.

Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley later announced on Wednesday that the quarterfinal matchup at Caesars Superdome had been postponed to Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.

Freeman said “we all” will have the tragedy “at the forefronts of our minds as we move forward” but the team will also be ready to play.

The New Orleans attack has killed 15 people. Here’s the latest

FBI agents work the site where people were killed by a man driving a truck in an attack during New Year's celebrations in New Orleans on January 1.

At least 15 people were killed and 35 more injured when a driver rammed a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day.

Authorities have identified the suspect as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar from Texas, who is an Army veteran.

The FBI is investigating the deadly New Orleans attack as an “act of terrorism.”

  • The suspect: Jabbar made a series of video recordings before the deadly attack, where he said he had joined ISIS. Jabbar also served in the US Army from 2007 to 2020 as a human resources and information technology specialist on active duty and was deployed to Afghanistan.
  • Surveillance videos: Federal investigators believe that three men and one woman seen in the French Quarter in surveillance footage were not involved in placing improvised explosive devices in New Orleans. Investigators are still trying to determine if other people may have been involved in the attack.
  • Turo was used to rent the vehicle: Turo said their platform was used to rent the vehicles used in the deadly attack in New Orleans and the vehicle explosion in Las Vegas. Turo runs an online platform that allows car owners to rent out their vehicles.
  • Houston search: Law enforcement have begun searching a Houston location they believe is connected to the New Orleans attacker, according to the FBI. The agency said it was also “conducting a number of court authorized search warrants in New Orleans and other states.”
  • Explosives made in Airbnb: It appears that explosive devices associated with the New Orleans attack were manufactured at an Airbnb that was rented out “for that purpose,” Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill told NBC. New Orleans City Council member Jean-Paul Morrell said the suspect was staying in an Airbnb before the attack.
  • Biden’s address: President Joe Biden said that “no one should jump to conclusions” and added that he is directing top law enforcement officials to continue to “intensively” investigate the attack.
  • Sugar Bowl: The University of Georgia and the University of Notre Dame were set to play in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans on Wednesday night. The postponed game will now kick off on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET.

What we know about the suspect in the New Orleans attack

The FBI released Shamsud-Din Jabbar's passport photo.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas, has been identified as the suspect who intentionally rammed a pickup truck into a large crowd on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street early in the morning on New Year’s Day. He was killed in a firefight with police after the crash.

In a series of videos before the attack, he discussed planning to kill his family and having dreams that helped inspire him to join ISIS, according to multiple officials. He made the chilling recordings while driving from his home in Texas to Louisiana, authorities believe.

He made reference in the videos to his divorce and how he had at first planned to gather his family for a “celebration” with the intention of killing them, two officials said. But Jabbar said in the videos that he changed his plans and joined ISIS, according to the officials.

Key things to know:

Jabbar was born in Beaumont, Texas, he said in a 2020 YouTube video titled “Personal Introduction,” in which he pitched himself as a professional real estate agent based in Houston.

Jabbar served in the US Army from 2007 to 2020, in both an active duty and reserve capacity. He served as a human resources and information technology specialist on active duty between March 2007 and January 2015, deploying to Afghanistan once from February 2009 to January 2010.

Jabbar, who held jobs in real estate and IT, had been struggling with financial troubles, court documents show.

Jabbar has divorced two of his ex-wives, court documents show. A Texas judge issued a temporary restraining order against Jabbar in 2020 after his second wife asked for one during their divorce case.

Sources from: CNN.COM 

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