New Orleans truck attack suspect identified as Houston resident Shamsud-Din Jabbar
NEW ORLEANS - The FBI has identified the suspect accused of driving a pickup truck down New Orleans' Bourbon Street, killing 14 people, as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar.
According to Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Jabbar is from the Houston area.
The FBI says Jabbar is a U.S.-born citizen and an Army veteran.
Patrick says Jabbar rented the pickup truck on Monday and had been driving the rented vehicle in Houston before heading to New Orleans.
MORE: New Orleans live updates: Driver plows into Bourbon Street crowd, killing 10
Shamsud-Din Jabbar (Photo provided by FBI)
What happened in New Orleans?
Fourteen people were killed and dozens more were injured when a man intentionally drove down Bourbon Street early New Year's morning, authorities say.
"He was hellbent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did," New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said.
According to Kirkpatrick, around 3:15 a.m., the man drove a pickup truck around the barricades blocking Bourbon Street and drove down the street at a fast pace, "trying to run over as many people as he possibly could."
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - JANUARY 1: Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies work the scene on Bourbon Street after at least ten people were killed when a person allegedly drove into the crowd in the early morning hours of New Years Day on Jan
2 officers shot on Bourbon Street
Once the driver crashed, he opened fire on officers, Kirkpatrick said.
Two officers were struck and taken to the hospital in stable condition.
The FBI says officers returned fire, and the man died at the scene.
Possible explosive device found
The FBI says weapons and a potential improvised explosive device were found in the man's vehicle, and other potential IEDs were also found in the French Quarter.
"The FBI’s Special Agent Bomb Technicians are working with our law enforcement partners to determine if any of these devices are viable and they will work to render those devices safe," the FBI said in a statement.
New Orleans attack investigated as ‘act of terrorism’
In a statement Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick B. Garland said the FBI is investigating the incident as "an act of terrorism."
The FBI says an ISIS flag was located in the vehicle, and the agency is working to determine any possible associations with terrorist organizations.
Kirkpatrick also described it as "very intentional behavior." She said it was not a case of an intoxicated driver.
"This is more complex and more serious based on the information we have right now," Kirkpatrick said.
"The FBI, the ATF, the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and will deploy every available resource to conduct this investigation," Garland said.
FBI sets up tip line following New Orleans truck attack
The FBI is asking for the public’s help with the investigation.
The agency would like to speak to anyone who interacted with Jabbar in the last 72 hours.
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Anyone with information, videos or pictures is also asked to provide them to the FBI.
Call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online.
The Source: Information about the suspect is from Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The information about the attack is from a news conference held by Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan and New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick. Additional information is from the FBI. The updated death toll is from the Associated Press. This story was reported from Houston.