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New Orleans attack latest: Suspect's travel to Egypt under investigation | Live updates

WPVI logo
Last updated: Saturday, January 4, 2025 3:43AM PST
Timeline of suspect Shamsud-Dim Jabbar's New Orleans attack
In the wake of the deadly car-ramming attack on New Orleans' bustling Bourbon Street, federal investigators have released a timeline of events surrounding the New Year's Day incident.

NEW ORLEANS -- Law enforcement agencies are expanding their investigation into the New Year's ramming attack on New Orleans' Bourbon Street which killed 14 people and injured dozens more in the early hours of Wednesday.

City and federal officials said an Army veteran -- identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42 -- was "hell-bent" on killing as many people as possible. The suspect drove a pickup truck around a parked police car serving as a barricade and plowed into crowds of revelers, officials said.

Emergency services attend the scene on Bourbon Street after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans' Canal and Bourbon Street, Wednesday Jan. 1, 2025.
Emergency services attend the scene on Bourbon Street after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans' Canal and Bourbon Street, Wednesday Jan. 1, 2025.
AP Photo/Gerald Herbert

The alleged attacker then exited the damaged vehicle armed with an assault rifle and opened fire on police officers, law enforcement officials said. Jabbar was also armed with a handgun, sources told ABC News.

Officers returned fire, killing Jabbar, a U.S.-born citizen from Texas, sources said.

Get the latest live updates here.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
WPVI logo
Jan 03, 2025, 9:32 AM

FBI shares timeline of New Orleans attack investigation

The FBI shared a timeline of events on Thursday of Shamsud-Din Jabbar's movements leading up to the attack and the investigation.

Before summer 2024: Shamsud-Din Jabbar allegedly joins ISIS

Dec 30: Shamsud-Din Jabbar picks up rented Ford F15 in Houston, Texas

Dec 31: Jabbar drives rented truck from Houston to New Orleans, Louisiana. The drive is approximately five and a half hours, spanning over 340 miles.

Jan 1 at 1:29 a.m. CT: Jabbar posts five timestamped videos to an online platform between 1:29 a.m. and 3:02 a.m., where he allegedly proclaims his support for ISIS.

In the first video, he explains he originally planned to harm his family and friends but was concerned the news headlines would not focus on the "war between the believers and the disbelievers."

This is also when he states that he joined ISIS before the summer.

He also provided a last will and testament.

Jan 1 at 2:03 a.m. CT: Surveillance footage shows Jabbar as he walked along Dauphine Street near Governor Nicholls Street. He is dressed in a light brown long coat, a dark-colored button-down shirt, blue jeans and what appears to be brown dress shoes. The FBI says Jabbar is seen placing devices inside coolers near Bourbon Street before the attack. They believe he acted along and changed clothes, law enforcement officials say.

Jan 1 at 3:02 a.m. CT: Jabbar posts his last of the five videos.

Jan 1 at 3:15 a.m. CT: Jabbar opened fire after ramming pedestrians on Bourbon Street.

Jan 1: Following the attack, authorities recovered two improvised explosive devices left in coolers in the Bourbon Street area, the FBI said. Those were the only devices recovered and both were rendered safe.

Jan 1: In the aftermath of the deadly incident, family members and friends have begun identifying the 14 people killed on Bourbon Street.

Jan 2: Jabbar's divorces and financial difficulties come to light. The records also show that after his military service, Jabbar worked for Deloitte as he aimed to grow his own fledgling real estate business.

Jan 2: Bourbon Street crime scene turned back over to City of New Orleans.

Jan 2: Bomb-making materials linked to the suspect were recovered by FBI agents and local law enforcement at Jabbar's last known residence in Houston, Texas, sources confirmed to ABC News. The items found were also referred to as "precursor chemicals" by agents in the field, sources said. The items were found when agents executed a search warrant at Jabbar's home in the small community of Greenspoint, in north Houston.

ByAaron Katersky ABCNews logo
Jan 01, 2025, 12:54 PM PST

Several appear to plant potential explosive devices in advance of truck ramming, sources say

New Orleans police have reviewed surveillance video that appears to show several people planting potential explosive devices in advance of the vehicle ramming, leading the FBI to conclude the driver of the pickup truck was not "solely responsible" for the attack, law enforcement sources told ABC News.

Investigators are urgently working to identify the individuals who were seen on camera and take them into custody.

ABCNews logo
Jan 01, 2025, 12:24 PM PST

Investigators work to determine position of security bollards

Rep. Carter told ABC News that investigators are still trying to determine the position of the security bollards intended to prevent vehicles from going onto Bourbon Street at the time of the attack.

"It appears that the bollards may not have in a fully operation mode, but there was a police vehicle that was there to deter any vehicle from getting onto Bourbon Street," Carter said. "My understanding is that they may have gone around the police vehicle and gone through the sidewalk and that's how they gained entry. That information is still being gathered."

The barrier system designed to prevent vehicle attacks was undergoing repairs in preparation for the Super Bowl, which is being played in the city in February.

Officials said about 400 officers were in the French Quarter to police New Year's Eve celebrations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

ABCNews logo
Jan 01, 2025, 11:40 AM PST

Homemade pipe bombs found at scene of attack

Investigators found homemade pipe bombs at the scene of the Bourbon Street attack, sources say.

The crude devices contained coils and nails, the sources said.

The FBI investigates the area on Orleans St and Bourbon Street by St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter where a suspicious package was detonated.
The FBI investigates the area on Orleans St and Bourbon Street by St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter where a suspicious package was detonated.

Authorities also found a grenade, which is among the items tested for viability.

ByMary Kekatos ABCNews logo
Jan 01, 2025, 1:41 PM PST

Families begin to identify victims

Family members and friends have begun identifying the 15 people who died in the truck-ramming attack early Wednesday morning on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

Here's what we know about the victims so far:

Nicole Perez

Nicole Perez, 27 has been confirmed as one of the victims by Kimberly Usher-Fall, her employer and family spokesperson.

Perez leaves behind a 4-year-old son, Melo.

"It is with sadness that I write this GoFundMe. My friend and my manager of our store, Nicole, was killed this morning in the attack on New Orleans Bourbon Street," Usher-Fall wrote.

"She was so beautiful and full of life. Her son Melo is now without his momma, and we are without our friend and dedicated employee. I'm hoping to get some help for her burial expenses and to help her son with expenses he will need to transition into a new living situation."

Reggie Hunter

Reggie Hunter's death was confirmed by his first cousin, Shirell Jackson.

"He did not deserve this," she told ABC News' Diane Macedo. "It's senseless and cruel. I wish none of this had ever happened."

Jackson said Hunter, 37, leaves behind two sons. She described him as the "life of the party" with a big heart who was funny, loving and caring.

"This is hurting all of us differently and on so many levels," she said. "We were expecting so much life to live with our cousin ... Just a beautiful person that did not deserve this and had so much life to live."

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