The FBI is reporting the man who drove into a crowd in the French Quarter in New Orleans acted alone in an act of terrorism.
They said they found video of 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar from Texas placing explosive devices. He posted videos publicly declaring his support for ISIS before the attack. Authorities are still searching for an exact motive.
It’s currently unclear why Bourbon Street in particular was targeted in the attack.
The Sugar Bowl is set to continue today at 3 p.m.
ORIGINAL STORY:
At least 15 people are dead (including the driver) and at least 35 are injured after a pickup truck plowed through a crowd in New Orleans’s French Quarter early New Year’s Day.
The subject rammed into a crowd of people just after 3 a.m. on the first day of the year, and upon exiting he fired at law enforcement. He was killed in a police shootout at the scene.
The subject was identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas and Army veteran, according to the FBI. He was driving a rented Ford pickup truck and was in possession of an Islamist state group (ISIS) flag.
He also had more weapons and a potential IED bomb wired for remote detonation in the vehicle, and more potential bombs were found scattered around the French Quarter.
The mayor of New Orleans called the killing a “terrorist attack,” and the FBI is investigating the incident as an act of terrorism.
Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver was “hell-bent” to create carnage and to “run over as many people as he could.”
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry issued a state of emergency, but officials have repeatedly assured residents and visitors should still feel safe in New Orleans as authorities hunt down more information and any possible accomplices.
The barrier system intended to prevent vehicular attacks was being repaired at the time, so Jabbar had to drive around a police vehicle stationed to protect the crowd.
The Sugar Bowl playoff game between Georgia and Notre Dame in New Orleans was also postponed to Thursday.
The FBI has said they are conducting investigations related to the New Orleans attack in Houston, Texas.
Law enforcement is also reviewing a series of recordings the attacker made as he drove from Texas to Louisiana.
The attacker talks about the divorce he is going through and expresses interest in killing his family. He also talks about joining ISIS, referencing several dreams he had, according to officials.
Jabbar was an HR/IT specialist for the U.S. Army. He also briefly served in the Navy. He was deployed to Afghanistan with the Army from February 2009 to January 2010.
DALEVILLE: Daleville 911 and Ozark – Dale County 911 dispatched a structure fire about 5:30 AM. The structure fire was a mobile home.
Responding the fire, Daleville Department of Public Safety Fire – EMS and Police, Clayhatchee Volunteer Fire Department, Level Plains Fire Department, and Dale County Sheriff Department.
The structure was well-involved, and there was a fatality in the fire. Dale County Coroner John Cawley has identified the fire death victim as 62 year old David Berry of Daleville.
The body will be sent to Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for a post mortem examination by the medical examiner. The 33rd Judicial Circuit District Attorney, Kirke Adams, was notified. Daleville Director of Public Safety Director/Police Chief John Crawford had the Alabama State Fire Marshal notified, which is procedure on all fire related deaths. Dale County Sheriff Mason Bynum was in contact with the Dale County Sheriff Deputies on the scene.
HENRY COUNTY: 4:05 PM Henry County 911 and ALEA – Trooper Communications has dispatched emergency units to a two vehicle accident with injuries in northern Henry County.
The accident location is Highway 97 and Otho Road at the lake. Reports are injuries and heavy damage.
Screamer Volunteer Fire is on the scene and possibly Abbeville Fire – Rescue. Two medical helicopters are responding.
If anyone has additional information or scene pictures TEXT RICKEY 334-790-1729.
UPDATED @ 5:16 PM
Two juveniles were transported by ambulance to Southeast Health in Dothan. One juvenile has been flown to Children’s Hospital in Birmingham directly from the scene.
Another Patient has been transported to Abbeville Rescue to Southeast Health in Dothan.
Henry County Sheriff Deputies, Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship, ALEA – Trooper Goad on the scene.
UPDATED @ 9:47 A.M.
According to reports, a woman failed to look both ways, causing a vehicle with three kids to T-bone the driver.
Two children were life flighted to Birmingham. One child was discharged from a hospital in Dothan.
The mother of the children said she has a concussion, and a 9-year-old is suffering from a cut liver and internal bleeding. A 6-year-old has a laceration to the scalp, and an 8-year-old is suffering from seat belt burns.
FROM RICKEY STOKES….
DO NOT USE SCI COMMUNICATIONS IN DOTHAN FOR RADIO NEEDS, UNIFORMS OR EQUIPMENT. HOUSTON COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT AND GENEVA COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT HAD RATHER DRIVE ALL THE WAY TO OPP ALABAMA THEN USE SCI COMMUNICATIONS ON SOUTH FOSTER STREET IN DOTHAN.HOUSTON COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT SENDS THEIR RADIO EQUIPMENT AND VEHICLES TO S & P COMMUNICATIONS IN OPP ALABAMA. NOT THE SAME SERVICE AS WHEN THE LATE JAMES BUIE AND MRS. DARYL BUIE RAN EVERYTHING.
MIDLAND CITY: 12:14 AM Midland City Police attempted to make a trafficc stop on Highway 231 near Highway 605. The reason for the traffic stop was a Ford F-150 truck with no tag.
The driver apparently felt seeing blue lights on a law enforcent vehicle behind you meant GO and not stop. The driver turned south on Highway 605 from Hughway 231. The speeds were about 43 miles per hour.
The vehicle turned into 13199 Highway 605, wrecking. The driver bailed on foot and began running from the Midland City Police Officer into the wood line.
Multiple law enforcement officers are responding along with K-9 dogs. All officers were instructed to stay out of the woods to allow the K-9 to have an accurate track. The suspect is a white male, glasses and a white shirt.
Failure to Yield – fleeing is a felony in the State of Alabama. The driver probably had misdemeanor offenses until he ran so by not stopping, STUPID, because he will now have at least one felony.
DOTHAN: 6:48 PM. Dothan 911 dispatched Dothan Police, Dothan Fire, and Pilcher Ambulance to a firearm assault in the 700 block of Hutchins Street, between Lake Street and Pryor Street.
Reports to Dothan 911 indicate a elderly female had been shot.
Multiple Dothan Police and Houston County Sheriff Deputies responded to the area. It is reported to have possibly been a drive-by shooting.
7:09 PM Dothan Fire Engine 1 (Central) Paramedics and Pilcher Ambulance transported to Southeast Health, trauma alert. On scene Dothan Patrol called for Dothan Police Criminal Investigators to respond.
Shortly after this call, Dothan Police dispatched to Target where there were reports of a juvenile chasing another in the parking lot with a firearm. A medical emergency at 6:57 PM on Denton Road, 7:08 PM a medical emergency on John. D. Odom Road. In the county at 7:06 PM, a medical emergency on County Road 9, Cottonwood Rescue already on a medical call as this going on. These are unrelated to the firearm assault but just to show, without notice, how the 911 Center, law enforcement, fire and EMS hit with multiple, different emergencies within a 19 minute period of time. And all were handled with precision from the 911 Center to the field.
