Egypt Daily News – Law enforcement officials told the Associated Press that the suspect was killed in an exchange of gunfire with police. The suspect was initially identified as Shams al-Din Jabbar, 42 years old, according to NBC.
CNN, citing a source, indicated that the suspect in the hit-and-run operation was an American citizen and was driving a rented truck. The FBI, is investigating the incident as a “terrorist act,” confirmed that an ISIS flag was found in the car used by the attacker. It is also suspected that there are accomplices of the New Orleans attacker and urged the public to help track them down.
In a statement published on the city’s website, the authorities confirmed toll of 15 killed, noting that the accident occurred as a result of a car colliding with a large crowd of citizens on Canal Street at its intersection with Bourbon Street.
The Mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, described the incident as a “terrorist attack,” and the US Secretary of Homeland Security also considered the New Orleans attack a “terrorist act.”
Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick also stated that the suspect deliberately drove a pickup truck along Bourbon Street, aiming to cause as many victims as possible. She added: “He was determined to commit the massacre and cause the devastation he left behind.”
Alethea Duncan, assistant in charge of the FBI field office in New Orleans, explained that the authorities are working to investigate the presence of at least one explosive device, believed to be improvised, that was found at the scene of the accident.
The New Orleans Police Department, through a statement carried by WBC affiliate WDSU, reported receiving reports of mass casualties in the areas of Bourbon and Iberville Streets, and confirmed that the suspect vehicle may have struck a group of people.
The White House announced that President Joe Biden was briefed on the details of the attack during an official briefing.
However, President-elect Donald Trump considered that “the crime rate in our country is unprecedented,” adding: “My administration will fully support the city of New Orleans as it investigates and recovers from this evil act.”
New Orleans police previously said they were responding to a mass casualty incident, including fatalities. The city’s disaster preparedness agency, Nullah Reddy, advised people to stay away from the area. She indicated that the injured were transferred to five local hospitals.
US President Joe Biden said that he feels angry and frustrated by the New Orleans attack, and will not comment until more details are known, directing his teams to ensure that all resources are available to help investigate the incident.
Fox News reveals new details about the New Orleans attack
Fox News reported that the car that ran over a crowd of people in New Orleans, United States, was tracked at the South Texas border crossing with Mexico two days before the accident.
It added: “The car also had a Texas license plate, and it has not yet been confirmed that the suspect was driving his car while crossing the border.”
The city of New Orleans, in the US state of Louisiana, witnessed a horrific accident on Wednesday, which resulted in the death of 15 people and the injury of 30 others.
