The FBI says they are investigating the attack as a terrorist attack. Investigators say the suspect had uploaded videos to social media ‘hours before the attack’, suggesting he was inspired by ISIS and had ‘intent to kill’.
The first day of the new year came as a tragedy for America. In New Orleans, Louisiana, a man drove a speeding truck into a crowd and killed 15 people. 35 others were injured in the truck attack. The police shot the truck driver. The suspect has been identified as Shamsuddin Jabbar, a 42-year-old US citizen from Texas.
According to media reports, the FBI says an Islamic State (ISIS) flag was found in the vehicle and they are investigating the attack as a ‘terrorist act’. Investigators say the suspect had uploaded videos to social media ‘hours before the attack’, suggesting he was inspired by ISIS and had ‘intent to kill’.
According to multiple officials familiar with the investigation, the suspect spoke in the video about planning to kill his family and having dreams that inspired him to join ISIS, CNN reported. Jabbar mentioned his divorce in the video and how he had planned to gather everyone for a ‘celebration’ with the intention of killing his family.
According to officials, Jabbar said in the video that he changed his plans and joined ISIS. He mentioned many of his dreams which were about why he should join the terrorist group. According to reports, it appears the suspect may have recorded the videos while driving at night, although the exact time could not be confirmed.
An army spokesperson said that Jabbar served in the army for more than a decade. She served as a human resources specialist and information technology specialist on active duty between March 2007 and January 2015. He was deployed in Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. After leaving active duty in January 2015, Jabbar served in the Army Reserve until July 2020, when he left the service as a staff sergeant.
According to his online resume, Jabbar received an associate degree from Central Texas College in 2010 and a bachelor’s degree from Georgia State University in 2017. Both the degrees were related to Computer Science and Information Technology. According to the resume, she later worked in business development and data engineering at consulting firms Deloitte and Accenture. According to Texas Real Estate Commission records, Jabbar obtained a real estate license in 2019 that was set to expire in 2023.
According to the report, court documents show that Jabbar had divorced his two ex-wives. His first wife sued him for child support in 2012, soon after he filed for divorce. The court ordered Jabbar to pay the amounts which increased as his income increased. The case was dismissed in 2022.
A Texas judge issued a restraining order warning Jabbar in 2020. His second wife had appealed for such an order in the divorce case. The order stated that Jabbar should refrain from any activities such as threats, physical harm against his ex-wife and any of his children. In a court filing, Jabbar’s ex-wife said the marriage had become unbearable due to “discord or personality clashes.”
