NEW YORK, NY (THE WORLD TELEGRAM NEWS) — At approximately 3:15 AM on New Year’s Day 2025, celebrations in New Orleans turned to tragedy when a driver, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, allegedly drove into a crowd of people. Between 10 to 15 people have been confirmed dead (with some sources varying), and dozens more were injured in what is being investigated as a suspected act of terrorism. The deceased suspect, Jabbar, who was a resident of Texas, was reported to have ties to ISIS.
The truck involved in the incident was found to contain explosives, and authorities have confirmed that Jabbar was dressed in full military gear and was not a local resident of New Orleans. Two New Orleans police officers were injured during the incident but are currently in stable condition. The majority of the injured were transported to University Medical Center, with others treated at Touro Hospital and Ochsner Baptist.
Additionally, it is believed that Jabbar may have used a long-gun rifle to fire into the crowd while driving the truck. The vehicle, which had a Texas license plate, was also seen with a white stick or pipe, possibly a flag, attached to the rear hitch.
Authorities later discovered an Islamic State flag inside the suspect’s vehicle, along with weapons and an improvised explosive device (IED). Witnesses and those familiar with Jabbar described his behavior as erratic, with some mentioning a recent conversion to Islam.
The incident has been officially classified as an act of terrorism, and law enforcement is actively investigating the possibility of additional suspects or accomplices.
