New Orleans Honors Truck Attack Victims with Emotional Vigil and Celebration of Life

NEW ORLEANS—On Saturday evening, New Orleans came together in grief, tears, and celebration during a vigil held along the iconic street where a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd, resulting in the loss and injury of those celebrating the new year.

A temporary memorial adorned with crosses and photos of the 14 victims included candles, flowers, and teddy bears. Family members of the victims embraced one another, many in tears. However, as a brass band began to play, the atmosphere shifted from sorrow to a celebration of life, with the crowd snapping their fingers, swaying, and following the music down Bourbon Street.

The coroner’s office determined that all 14 victims died from “blunt force injuries,” and around 30 others sustained injuries. According to University Medical Center New Orleans representative Carolina Giepert, 13 individuals remained in the hospital, with eight in intensive care.

The attack, which occurred early Wednesday, was perpetrated by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a former U.S. Army soldier. Police ended Jabbar’s life during a shootout at the site of the tragic incident on Bourbon Street, renowned for its festive atmosphere in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter.

Vigil Commemorates Victims and Unites the Community

Cathy Tenedorio, who lost her 25-year-old son Matthew, expressed her gratitude for the overwhelming support and kindness seen at Saturday’s vigil. “This is the most overwhelming response of love, an outpouring of love. I’m floating through it all,” she remarked.

Autrele Felix, a 28-year-old New Orleans native, left a handwritten note at the memorial for his friend Nicole Perez, a single mother who lost her life. “It means a lot to witness our city unifying in the face of a real tragedy,” Felix stated. “We all come together as one.”

Others gathered around the brass band insisted that the most fitting tribute to the victims was to celebrate their lives.

“Because that’s exactly why they were there, to enjoy themselves,” said Kari Mitten, a lifelong New Orleans resident.

President Joe Biden scheduled a visit to New Orleans with First Lady Jill Biden on Monday to “grieve with the families and community members affected by this tragic incident.”

Ongoing Investigation

On Friday, investigators continued their inquiry into the attack, assessing Jabbar’s motivations. The FBI determined that he acted alone.

Jabbar expressed his support for the ISIS terrorist group in videos posted online just hours before the attack. This incident marked the deadliest ISIS-inspired attack in the U.S. in several years, highlighting the ongoing international terrorism threat as warned by federal officials.

Authorities discovered crude bombs in the vicinity of the attack, indicating an attempt to inflict further destruction. Two improvised explosive devices found in coolers several blocks apart were safely handled on site, while other devices were deemed nonfunctional. According to investigators, Jabbar purchased a cooler in Vidor, Texas, just hours prior to the attack and gun oil from a retail outlet in Sulphur, Louisiana.

In Jabbar’s rental truck, investigators uncovered a transmitter meant to detonate the two bombs. The FBI also revealed he had bomb-making materials at the home he rented in New Orleans. Jabbar attempted to ignite the house by starting a small fire in a hallway with accelerants, but the flames extinguished before firefighters arrived.

After exiting the crashed vehicle while donning a ballistic vest and helmet, Jabbar opened fire at the police, injuring at least two officers before being fatally shot. The New Orleans police declined to disclose how many shots were exchanged between Jabbar and the officers or if bystanders were hit, referencing the ongoing nature of the investigation.

Stella Cziment, who oversees the city’s Office of the Independent Police Monitor, stated that investigators are working diligently to account for “every single bullet that was fired” and to ascertain if any of those bullets struck bystanders.

Increased Security Measures Planned

In response to the attack, police have set up various vehicles and barricades to restrict traffic at Bourbon and Canal streets. Other law enforcement agencies have also collaborated with city officers to enhance security, noted New Orleans police spokesperson Reese Harper.

The inaugural parade of the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras is scheduled for Monday. Additionally, New Orleans is set to host the Super Bowl on February 9.

“This enhanced security initiative will persist daily, not just during major events,” Harper stated.

Previously, the city had placed steel columns known as bollards to limit vehicle access to Bourbon Street, which could retract to allow for deliveries. However, these bollards became inactive after being clogged with Mardi Gras beads, beverages, and other debris.

As New Year’s Eve approached, the bollards had been removed. Officials have indicated they will be reinstated before the Super Bowl.

Identification of Victims

The attack claimed the lives of an 18-year-old aspiring nurse, a single mother, a father of two, and a former Princeton University football star, among others.

The New Orleans coroner’s office has identified 13 out of the 14 victims, with ages ranging from 18 to 63, the majority being in their 20s. One of the deceased was a British national, 31-year-old Edward Pettifer from west London, as reported by London’s Metropolitan Police.

During the vigil on Saturday, family members recognized Tasha Polk, a mother and nursing assistant in her 40s, as the final victim of the attack.