New Orleans Truck Attack: Unraveling the Background of Suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a Twice-Married US Army Veteran | US News

The individual implicated in the truck attack in New Orleans has been named as Shamsud-Din Jabbar.

According to the FBI, he was a 42-year-old US citizen hailing from Texas.

As a result of the suspected terrorist incident, at least 10 individuals lost their lives, while numerous others sustained injuries.

Current updates on the New Orleans attack

What is known about Jabbar?

Army veteran Jabbar is thought to have driven a Ford pick-up truck into a crowd celebrating the New Year on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of the city.

Authorities stated he was “determined to cause the destruction and harm that he did”.

“It was clearly intentional behavior. This individual was attempting to run over as many people as possible,” remarked police chief Anne Kirkpatrick.

Jabbar killed in shootout

Jabbar was fatally shot during a confrontation with police soon after the attack, which occurred at approximately 3.15am local time (9.15am UK time) on Wednesday.

The FBI indicated that he was operating a possibly rented Ford pick-up truck.

Authorities also discovered an ISIS flag, firearms, and a possible improvised explosive device (IED) in the vehicle.

After the shootout, investigators recovered both a handgun and an AR-style rifle, according to a law enforcement source.

Read more:
Details about the incident
Eyewitness accounts of the attack

Jabbar’s military background

Jabbar served actively in the US Army from 2006 to 2015, later joining the reserves from 2015 to 2020.

He held the rank of staff sergeant at the time of his honorable discharge in 2020.

In 2009, Jabbar was deployed to Afghanistan.

Additionally, he attempted to join the navy in 2004 but did not complete the process or training.

A navy spokesperson confirmed: “Records indicate that a Shamsuddin Bahar Jabbar enlisted on Aug. 12, 2004, in Navy Recruiting District Houston and was discharged from the Delayed Entry Program on Sept. 13, 2004. He did not attend Recruit Training Command, and due to not serving in the Navy, no further information can be provided.”

As reported by NBC, an affiliated network of Sky News in the US, Jabbar worked as a human resource specialist and information technology specialist from 2007 until January 2015 in the regular Army, and later as an IT specialist in the Army Reserves until 2020.

He is also known to have featured in a YouTube video discussing his career.

The FBI has stated that it does not consider Jabbar “solely responsible” for the attack and has sought public assistance in identifying any potential accomplices.

Investigations are ongoing to uncover any “potential connections and affiliations with terrorist groups”.

Police chief Ms. Kirkpatrick reported that the suspect smartly maneuvered around barricades, later opening fire from his vehicle, wounding two police officers after the crash.

Fortunately, the officers’ conditions are now stable, she added.

Past arrests

In 2002, Jabbar was arrested in Texas for theft, which was recorded as a misdemeanor, resulting in a $100 fine.

He faced another arrest in 2005 for driving with an invalid license, also classified as a misdemeanor, and was also fined $100.

Marital history

Public records reveal that Jabbar was married twice, with his first marriage concluding in 2012, as reported by NBC.

A petition for his second divorce began in 2021.

In 2020, his then-wife sought a temporary restraining order against him.

The order mandated that neither party could “intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly cause bodily injury to each other or any child involved” or “threaten the other party or a child with imminent bodily injury”.

The divorce was finalized in 2022, where Jabbar and his ex-wife shared joint custody of their child.

What do we know about the vehicle involved in the New Orleans attack?

The FBI reported that an ISIS flag, weapons, and a possible improvised explosive device (IED) were discovered inside the truck.

Additional potential IEDs were found in the French Quarter, according to the FBI.

This historic area is renowned for drawing large crowds due to its vibrant music scene and nightlife.