The United States began 2025 with a violent event that has shocked not only Americans but the international community: a mass hit-and-run in New Orleans that has left at least 15 dead so far. Here’s what we know so far about the attack in Louisiana.
What happened in Louisiana?
A high-speed vehicle struck a group of people celebrating the arrival of 2025 in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The driver, who was also armed, opened fire on the police, who returned fire and shot him dead.
Investigation into possible terrorist act in New Orleans
A few hours after the hit-and-run, a vehicle exploded in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. Both incidents, which occurred on January 1, have caught the attention of U.S. authorities, who until yesterday had not ruled out the possibility of a connection between the two events.
President Joe Biden expressed his concern over the severity of the events and confirmed that investigations are considering the possibility that both incidents are related.
In a press conference on Thursday, January 2, the FBI stated that, at this stage of the investigation, no link has been found between the attack in Las Vegas and the one in New Orleans, though they noted that it is still an investigation in its early stages.
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Perpetrator of the Louisiana attack was military
The attack followed a pattern similar to jihadist attacks, although the attacker was American. President Joe Biden highlighted that the perpetrator was a Texas-born citizen who served in the United States Army and was also a member of the Armed Forces reserve.
The attacker was identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who used a Ford F-150 electric truck as a deadly weapon, in addition to carrying firearms, explosives, and an Islamic State flag. He was shot and killed by the police.
Jabbar lived in an apartment in a Muslim neighborhood in northern Houston (Texas). Local records from Texas indicate that the suspect in the New Orleans attack was arrested in Katy (Texas) in 2002 for petty theft. In 2005, he was arrested again in Beaumont, Texas, for driving with an invalid permit. He served in the military for over ten years, working as a technology and human resources specialist from 2007 to 2015, and later joined the reserves, from which he retired as a sergeant in 2020. During his service, he was deployed to Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon, and received medals for his good conduct and achievements. According to acquaintances, Jabbar became radicalized in recent years.
Jabbar had two daughters, aged 15 and 20, from his first marriage. He divorced in 2012 and remarried in 2017. With his second wife, he had a six-year-old son. In July 2020, he initiated divorce proceedings citing irreconcilable differences but later withdrew the request, only to resume it the following year. The lawyer handling his case resigned due to a lack of communication with Jabbar, who represented himself in the divorce, which was finalized in September 2022.
10 facts about the Louisiana attack
- The attacker was identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old war veteran from Texas.
- On social media, the attacker reportedly expressed his affinity with the Islamic State (IS) and his desire to kill.
- So far, the attack has left 15 fatalities.
- After the attack, 35 people were injured.
- The vehicle involved was a white Ford F-150 Lightning.
- Hours after the hit-and-run, a vehicle exploded in front of the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.
- In the area of the attack, two improvised explosive devices were found in portable coolers.
- There are two Mexicans among the victims of the attack.
- The Sugar Bowl college football game was postponed after the attack in New Orleans.
- The NFL assured that there will be sufficient security at Super Bowl LIX, which will take place at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.
Attack in Louisiana: who are the victims?
The first victims of the mass hit-and-run have been identified:
- Nikyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18 years old
- Reggie Hunter, 37 years old
- Tiger Bech, 27 years old
- Nicole Pérez, 28 years old
- Hubert Gauthreaux
- Kareem Badawi
- Matthew Tenedorio, 25 years old
After attacks in New Orleans, NFL guarantees security at the Super Bowl
The NFL confirmed that Super Bowl LIX, scheduled for February 9, will have adequate security measures at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. This is the same city where an attack on Wednesday led to the postponement of the Sugar Bowl between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, part of the College Football Playoff Quarterfinals.
“The NFL and the local host committee have been working in collaboration with local, state, and federal agencies for the past two years and have developed comprehensive security plans. These planning sessions will continue as they do for all major NFL events, and we are confident that attendees will have a safe and enjoyable experience at the Super Bowl”, said in a statement.
