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By Gabe Whisnant
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According to reporting by KPRC 2 in Houston, FBI Houston and the Harris County Sheriff's Office swarmed a house Wednesday afternoon that belongs to Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who allegedly killed 15 and injured at least 30 more in a vehicle attack in New Orleans' French Quarter on New Year's Day.
KPRC 2 photos show a man coming out of the house with his hands up as officers had guns drawn. In addition, the television station said at least four kids and five adults were seen being brought out of a house.
FBI Houston confirmed in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that its activity on Wednesday was connected to the investigation into the New Orleans attack. In a statement Wednesday night, FBI Houston said its investigation was ongoing near the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive. FBI Houston said it has deployed specialized teams, including FBI SWAT team, Crisis Negotiators, Special Agent Bomb Technicians, Tactical Operations Center, Evidence Response Team and a group of counterterrorism investigators.
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Newsweek reached out to FBI Houston via email for additional comment.
Why It Matters
Officials said at a Wednesday news conference that they were aggressively hunting for additional suspects and did not believe the suspect, who has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, acted alone.
According to an intelligence bulletin from the Louisiana State Police obtained by The Associated Press, investigators discovered several improvised explosive devices, including two pipe bombs that had been hidden in coolers and wired for remote detonation. The bulletin, which is based on preliminary information collected shortly after the incident, also noted that surveillance footage captured three men and one woman placing one of the devices.
However, federal officials have not yet confirmed this detail.
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What to Know
The attack occurred around 4:15 a.m. EST in the French Quarter, one of New Orleans' busiest areas, during the city's New Year's Eve celebrations. The event was just hours before the Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame. The college football playoff matchup will now be played at 4 p.m. Thursday.
The New Orleans Police Department said the suspect opened fire on officers after the vehicle came to a stop. He was driving a Ford pickup truck, which officials said appeared to be rented.
Security barriers along Bourbon Street were being replaced, according to the New Orleans government website. The bollards are meant to stand at each crosswalk along Bourbon Street. The truck drove around the police vehicles where the permanent traffic barriers were not deployed.
Officers returned fire, and the suspect was struck, police said in a news release. He was subsequently pronounced dead.
An ISIS flag was found in the vehicle, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI is working to determine the suspect's potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations.
President Joe Biden confirmed at a press conference Wednesday night that Jabbard had posted videos in connection with the terrorist organization ISIS.
"The FBI also reported to me that mere hours before the attack, he posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS, especially a desire to kill," Biden said. "The ISIS flag was found in his vehicle, which he rented to conduct this attack."
Weapons and a potential IED were also found in the vehicle. Other potential IEDs were located in the French Quarter, according to a press release from the FBI.
Jabbar was a Houston resident. In 2005, he was charged with driving with a suspended license and in 2002, he was charged with misdemeanor theft, according to records previously reviewed by Newsweek. Jabbar joined the Army in 2007, serving on active duty in human resources and information technology and deploying to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010, the service said. He transferred to the Army Reserve in 2015 and left in 2020 with the rank of staff sergeant.
According to an AP report Wednesday night, law enforcement officers have closed off a road leading to a Houston residence that records indicate was Jabbar's recent address.
The white mobile home was behind a gate and in a small neighborhood where goats and ducks were roaming the grass.
What People Are Saying
FBI Houston in a statement Wednesday night to Newsweek: "FBI Houston and the Harris County Sheriff's Office are currently conducting law enforcement activity near the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive in north Houston. We have secured a perimeter in that area and are asking people to avoid the area. FBI Houston personnel and specialized teams will be on-site for several hours. This activity is related to this morning's New Orleans attack, but due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, no further information can be provided."
Alethea Duncan, an assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's New Orleans field office, at a news conference: "We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible."
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, during the news conference: "The FBI is in charge of this investigation and are doing everything necessary. The mission now is to facilitate support and coordinate safety procedures to keep our residents and our visitors safe."
New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick, during the news conference: "This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil." The driver "defeated" safety measures that were in place to protect pedestrians and was "hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did."
What's Next
The FBI will be the lead agency in the investigation.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Update 1/1/25, 11:27 p.m. ET: This article was updated with more information.
Update 1/1/25, 6 p.m. ET: This article was updated to indicate the death toll from the New Orleans attack has risen to 15, according to the city's coroner.
Update 1/1/25, 5:06 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.
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