The man responsible for the New year&rsquo;s Day <a href="https://x.com/BenefitNews24/status/1874426872374935570">Bourbon Street Attack</a>&nbsp;in New Orleans had posted videos indicating he was inspired by ISIS before he drove a truck into a crowd of New Year&rsquo;s eve revellers.
At least 15 people have been killed.
Investigators are also looking into possible links between this attack, which occurred just after 3am in the southern state of Louisiana, and the detonation of a Tesla Cybertruck outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas later in the day. One person died in the Las Vegas explosion.
While they are yet to find a connection, both attackers involved soft targets and rented trucks from the same budget car rental app, Turo.
The Bourbon Street attacker has been identified as US Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar (42). Jabbar, wearing an armoured vest, ploughed his truck into the crowd, got out, and fired at police who shot him dead, officials said. Two police were injured.
The Glock and .308 rifle&nbsp;he&rsquo;d been carrying had both been reported as stolen.
The Texan also a real estate agent, as indicated by a video he uploaded to YouTube.
&ldquo;Mere hours before the attack, he posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS, expressing a desire to kill,&rdquo; Biden said in an address to the nation from Camp David. &ldquo;The situation is very fluid, and the investigation is at a preliminary stage.&rdquo;
&ldquo;Additionally, we&rsquo;re tracking the explosion of a cyber truck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas,&rdquo; the president added. &ldquo;Law enforcement and the intelligence community are investigating this as well, including whether there&rsquo;s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans.&rdquo;
An ISIS flag was found in the vehicle, the FBI, which is leading the investigation into the New Orleans attack, said. It was working to determine the subject&rsquo;s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations, officials added.
&ldquo;I&rsquo;ve directed my team to make sure every resource, every resource, is made available to federal, state and local law enforcement to complete the investigation in New Orleans quickly, and to make sure there is no remaining threat to the American people,&rdquo; Biden said in his address.
Meanwhile, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell has announced a fund for the victims, who are yet to be identified publicly.
(With agency input)

Shamsud-Din Jabbar (42) ploughed his truck into the crowd, got out, and fired at police who shot him dead

Attacker is US Army vet Shamsud-Din Jabbar, connection to Las Vegas blast being probed

New Orleans Attacker ‘Inspired’ by ISIS

Attacker is US Army vet Shamsud-Din Jabbar, connection to Las Vegas blast being probed

January 2, 2025 | 09:36 IST