New Orleans Suspect Posted Videos Expressing a 'Desire to Kill' and Being 'Inspired by ISIS' Hours Before Attack, Biden Says

01/02/2025 05:42 AM

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen and Army vet, has been identified as the suspect who drove into the Bourbon Street crowd on New Year's Day and killed 15 people

The Texas man named as the suspect in the deadly New Orleans attack posted videos on social media indicating he was "inspired" by the Islamic State just hours before he drove a truck into a crowd celebrating the new year, President Joe Biden has said.

On Wednesday, Jan. 1, the president, 82, condemned the "despicable" and "heinous act," which killed 15 people and injured dozens of others, in a speech shared on The White House's X (formerly known as Twitter) page. 

The attack, which is now considered an act of terrorism by the FBI, occurred at 3:15 a.m. local time when a Ford pickup truck driven by the deceased subject — identified by the FBI as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen — plowed through the crowded Bourbon Street area.

Paying tribute to the victims in his statement, Biden said, "I know I can speak for all Americans when I say our hearts are with the people of New Orleans after the despicable attack that occurred in the early morning hours."

Happening Now: President Biden delivers remarks on the latest developments in New Orleans. https://t.co/oRhzQSLoAj

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 1, 2025

Related: University of Georgia Student ID'd as Victim in New Orleans Attack

"To all the families of those who were killed, to all those who were injured, to all the people in New Orleans who are grieving today, I want you to know I grieve with you, our nation grieves with you. We're going to stand with you as you mourn and as you heal in the weeks to come," he continued.

The president thanked emergency services for helping to stop the attacker before he could injure or kill more people, revealing that the FBI had found evidence that the suspect had expressed a "desire to kill" and had "posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS" just hours before the attack.

"The FBI has reported to me, the killer was an American citizen, born in Texas. He served in the United States Army on active duty for many years. He also served in the Army Reserve until a few years ago," Biden said. 

He added, "The FBI also reported to me that mere hours before the attack, he posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS, expressing [a] desire to kill. The ISIS flag was found in his vehicle, which he rented to conduct this attack. Possible explosives were found in the vehicle as well and more explosives were found nearby."

The FBI previously shared in a news release that the deceased suspect — who died after being involved in a police shootout, which left two officers injured, but in stable condition — had an ISIS flag in his vehicle.

"The FBI is working to determine the subject's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations," they confirmed.

Related: New Orleans Driver 'Was Hell-Bent on Creating Carnage' in Incident that Left 10 Dead, Police Say 

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In Wednesday's speech, Biden said the investigation was ongoing and at the preliminary stages. He also commented on the investigation into whether there were any possible connections between the attack and the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Jan. 1.

"Thus far, there is nothing to report ... at this time," he said.

One person died in the Cybertruck explosion, Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed on Jan. 1. McMahill added that seven people suffered reportedly minor injuries.