Who is Shamsud-Din Jabbar?
Shamsud-Din Jabbar is a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran identified allegedly as the man behind the heinous act during the New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans. Police claim that early on the morning of January 1, 2025, Jabbar plowed his pickup truck into a partying group on Bourbon Street, leaving at least 15 people dead and injuring more than 30 others. The FBI has said they are investigating this attack as a possible act of terrorism. They do not believe that Jabbar acted alone.
His background and military service
Jabbar was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas. He joined the United States Army serving from March 2007 until July 2020, first as a Human Resource Specialist and then an IT Specialist. He also served in Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010 and attained the rank of Staff Sergeant when he left the military. In his time in the Army, Jabbar was awarded three Army Commendation Medals, along with a host of other awards for his service.
After the military service, Jabbbar returned to civilian life and became a real estate agent cum property manager. His personal life, however, was replete with troubles from financial problems to two marriages that ended in divorce. He has been reported to have had problems with debt and lost a lot of income from his real estate business.
The New Year’s Eve incident
The crash occurred at about 3:15 a.m. on Jan. 1 when Jabbar is accused of plowing a Ford pickup truck into a large crowd of people celebrating the New Year. Witnesses at the scene called the act intentional, and authorities said it seemed like Jabbar was “hell-bent” on doing as much damage as possible. After driving the pickup into the crowd, he exited the vehicle and began shooting weapons that were in the truck and engaged in a gunbattle with police.
Police also recovered an ISIS flag and what appeared to be IEDs in the truck. The FBI is now trying to establish if these devices were, in fact, viable and if Jabbar was in contact with any terrorist groups. This has been the reason for the worry on the radicalization and motivation behind the attack.
Online activity and radicalization
In the hours leading up to the attack itself, Jabbar allegedly made social media posts that included videos showing he was inspired by ISIS. United States President Joe Biden confirmed the content of the videos as “a desire to kill” and suggested extremist ideologies could have radicalized Jabbar. His brother described him as a kind soul who accepted Islam at a young age, but said his actions were not the teachings of Islam; rather, they seemed to be a product of radicalization.
The FBI has gotten the word out that they don’t believe Jabbar acted alone in this attack, and they are actively looking at any leads on any possible accomplices or anyone else who may have assisted him in carrying out this attack.
Community impact and response
The New Year’s Eve attack has shocked the New Orleans community and raised questions about public safety during large gatherings. Local officials have condemned the violence, labeling it a “terrible act” that disrupted what should have been a festive occasion.
The investigation continues as authorities work to piece together Jabbar’s motivations and connections while ensuring public safety in future events. For readers, some of the victims of the bombing have been identified. Read this article to find out, Who were the victims of the New Orleans hit-and-run? Here’s what is known about the people who died in the attack
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