Law enforcement officials said Thursday that Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar acted alone when he planted two improvised explosive devices and then rushed into a crowd on New Orleans’ iconic Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Year’s Day.
Fourteen people were killed and at least 35 others injured in what FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia called “an act of terror” at a news conference.
Raia said that while the investigation is ongoing, there is “no definitive link” between the attack in New Orleans and a spectacular explosion in Las Vegas that occurred later on New Year’s Day.
Jabbar, 42, had made his intentions clear on social media. He wanted to show support for the Islamic State group, also known as ISIS, Raia said, noting how Jabbar posted four videos on Facebook shortly before turning onto Bourbon Street. He said in one that he initially thought about harming his friends and family, but worried that if he did so, the media would focus less on what he called the “war between the believers and the unbelievers.” .
The tourism hotspot reopened to the public Thursday morning, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.
Two laptops and three phones linked to Jabbar are currently being analyzed.
Authorities are also searching for clues at a home in Mandeville, Louisiana, just north of New Orleans.
This story is developing. Check back soon for more information.