World
January 2, 2025 06:00
new orleans - At least 15 people have died in New Orleans following an attack in the city center. The perpetrator, identified as a former US Army IT specialist, was shot dead by the police. The FBI found an ISIS flag in his vehicle.
At least 15 people have lost their lives in New Orleans after an attack in the city center. A man drove into a crowd of people celebrating the new year in Bourbon Street, a popular tourist area in the French Quarter. The assailant was killed in a shootout with the police. Around 35 people were also injured in the attack, according to US media.
The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was a US citizen residing in Texas and had served in the US Army for several years as an IT specialist. He had been deployed to Afghanistan once, as reported by CNN.
The FBI discovered an ISIS flag in the perpetrator's vehicle, along with weapons and a possible explosive device. Other potential explosives were found at the scene of the attack.
Authorities are now searching for possible accomplices of the deceased suspect. The FBI stated that they do not believe Jabbar acted alone.
The attack in New Orleans has been condemned internationally. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed solidarity with the American people, particularly the families of the victims and the injured.
New Orleans, originally founded by French colonists, is known for its French heritage, making the attack particularly poignant. The mayor of Nice, France, also extended condolences, drawing parallels to a previous vehicular attack in their city in 2016.
Various world leaders, including the President of Ukraine and the British Prime Minister, expressed their support for the victims and their families, denouncing terrorism and violence.
Messages of solidarity poured in from the United Nations, the European Union, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey.