On Wednesday morning, the perpetrator driving a white pickup truck broke through police barricades and drove into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in the tourist area. downtown New OrleansFrench Quarter. He then took out a rifle and started shooting, slightly injuring two policemen. He died on the spot.
The man identified as the perpetrator of the New Year's Eve attack in New Orleans is 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar – American media reported, citing police sources. According to ABC and local website NOLA.com, Jabbar was in his car the flag of the Islamic State and wore military clothes.
Fox News journalist Karol Markowicz reported on the X website that the man was born and raised in Texas and that he served in the US army. As reported by NBC, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) checks his connections with the Islamic State.
Louisiana Congressman Troy Carter told ABC that as a result of the attack 15 people died (first reports said there were 10 victims).
Joe Biden: There is no excuse for violence
“There is no excuse for violence, We will not tolerate attacks on any of our nation's communities,” the US president said Joe Biden after the attack.
“I am grateful for the courageous and quick response by local law enforcement to prevent even more deaths and injuries. I have instructed my team to make all resources available, and law enforcement at the federal, state and local levels have worked diligently to to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and make sure there is no longer a threat,” Biden said in a statement issued by White House.
Biden noted that The FBI is treating the New Orleans attack as an act of terrorismand expressed solidarity with the victims and their loved ones “who were simply celebrating (the New Year).”
Donald Trump links the attack to immigrants
The president-elect also commented on Wednesday's attack Donald Trumpwhich in a post on the Truth Social website connected the case with crimes committed by immigrants.
“When I said that the criminals coming (to the US) are much worse than the criminals we have in our country, Democrats and the fake news media They were constantly in denial this statement, but it turned out to be true. Crime in our country is at the same level as before no one has seen it before“- Trump wrote.
“Our hearts go out to all the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave New Orleans Police Officers. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans in its investigation and recovery from this act of pure evil!” – Trump added.
Fox News reported, citing sources in federal law enforcement agencies, that the perpetrator of the massacre was two days before the crime he crossed the border at the border crossing in Eagle Pass, Texas. The pickup truck that rammed into the New Year's Eve crowd had Texas license plates.