New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans turned into tragedy when a truck plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Road in the historic French Quarter. The aggressor, Shamsud Din Jabbara U.S. Army veteran and ISIS recruit, carried out the deadly attack, killing 14 people and wounding about 30 more.
The following timeline describes the events leading up to and following the New Year’s Day vehicle attack, which ended with police shooting Jabbar dead at the scene.
- Between June 22 and July 3, 2023, Jabbar traveled to Cairo before returning to the United States.
- Shortly after, from July 10 to 13, 2023, she visited Ontario, Canada, before returning to the United States.
- In the fall of 2024, Jabbar began visiting New Orleans.
- On October 30 he arrived in the city for the first time. The next day, October 31, the FBI reported that he used Meta smart glasses to record himself cycling through the French Quarter while planning the attack.
- He returned to New Orleans on November 10.
- On November 19, Jabbar acquired a semi-automatic rifle through a legitimate private transaction in Arlington, Texas. The seller was unaware of Jabbar’s plans.
- On Dec. 31, he visited a Texas gun store and purchased a cooler intended for an improvised explosive device.
- On the last day of 2024, Jabbar entered Louisiana at 2:30 p.m.
- At 9 p.m., his rented F-150 pickup truck was seen in Gonzales, Louisiana, approximately 65 miles from New Orleans’ French Quarter.
- In the early hours of January 1, events unfolded rapidly. At 12:41 a.m., Jabbar parked and walked to Royal and Governor Nichols Road. At 1:53 a.m., he placed the first improvised explosive device on Bourbon and St. Peter streets, although someone unrelated to it later moved it to Orleans Street. At 02:20, he placed a second improvised explosive device on Bourbon and Toulouse streets.
- The attack occurred at 3.15am, when Jabbar drove onto the footpath around a police blockade at the Canal Road entrance to Bourbon Road, hitting numerous New Year’s celebrants.
- After shooting at officers and crowds, he was fatally shot by police.
- At 5.18am, firefighters responded to a rental property on Mandeville Road where Jabbar had attempted to destroy evidence.
- Despite placing accelerants everywhere, the fire extinguished itself. Investigators discovered bomb-making materials and what appeared to be a homemade rifle silencer.
- Bourbon Road reopened on January 2 at 1 pm. Later on January 4, residents gathered for a memorial service.
