A suspect who rammed a truck into a crowd of people in New Orleans, killing at least 15 and injuring many more, was found to have an ISIS flag in his vehicle, the FBI confirmed.
The suspect has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar. He was shot and killed by police after the attack. The incident happened at around 3:15 a.m. on New Year’s Day, in the heart of the city on Bourbon Street, which is famous for its lively celebrations. Jabbar allegedly managed to avoid police roadblocks set up around the French Quarter and drove into a crowd of people.
Police said Jabbar’s actions were intentional, as he tried to run over as many people as possible. Two police officers were injured in a gunfight with the suspect, but they are now in stable condition.
The FBI is treating the attack as an “act of terrorism.” Officials believe Jabbar did not act alone and are investigating whether he had any accomplices.
In the wake of this tragedy, authorities decided to delay the Sugar Bowl college football match by 24 hours. The game, which was originally scheduled for Wednesday, will now take place on Thursday.
