New Orleans terrorist acted alone, was '100% inspired by ISIS,' FBI says
Federal investigators said Thursday they "do not believe" any other suspects acted with gunman Shamsud-Din Jabbar to carry out the deadly attack on New Orleans' Bourbon Street on New Year's Day, though he was inspired by the Islamic State terror organization.
Jabbar, 42, a U.S. Army veteran, is suspected of deliberately driving a pick-up truck into a crowd gathered in the French Quarter of New Orleans to celebrate the new year. The attack killed 14 people and left more than 30 others injured.
In a media briefing, Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI's counter-terrorism division, stated unequivocally the attack was an "act of terrorism."
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"It was premeditated and an evil act," said Raia, who added that investigators obtained surveillance video of Jabbar placing the explosive devices near the site of the crash.
Jabbar "specifically picked out Bourbon Street," Raia said, though they're "not sure why." The officer acknowledged Jabbar "was 100 percent inspired by ISIS," an acronym for the Islamic State. Jabbar shared his allegiance to the Islamic State in posts on social media.
Two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were found near the crash site, although they were safely recovered and did not detonate. There is no indication that the IEDs were part of a broader, coordinated effort, nor is there any evidence suggesting any other individuals played a role in planning or executing the assault, Raia said.
Jabbar, said Raia, acted independently, inspired by extremist propaganda. FBI investigators "do not believe" anyone else was involved in the attack, said Raia.
The early Wednesday morning attack came just hours before an explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, involving a Tesla Cybertruck containing fireworks and camp fuel canisters. The explosion resulted in the death of a suspect inside the vehicle.
According to three U.S. officials, the person who died in the explosion was identified as Matthew Livelsberger, an active-duty U.S. Army soldier who had previously been stationed at the base formerly known as Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The officials, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity, were not authorized to reveal specific details about his service.
Jabbar and Livelsberger had spent time at Fort Bragg, a massive Army base home to Army special forces command now known as Fort Liberty. However, an official familiar with the investigation told The Associated Press that there is "no apparent overlap in their assignments there."
The FBI's investigation into both incidents continues, but officials say there is no evidence to suggest the events are related.
The AP also cited two unidentified law enforcement officials, who also spoke on the condition of anonymity, who emphasized that there is no indication the men knew each other.
Investigators determined the car-sharing app Turo was used to book both vehicles used in New Orleans and Las Vegas. Described as an Airbnb-style app for cars, Turo allows customers to search for and select vehicles similar to a car rental company.
A Turo spokesperson told The Wall Street Journal there is no indication that the renter in either case had a "criminal background that would have flagged them as a security threat."
Earlier Thursday, New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrell said officials expected to reopen Bourbon Street ahead of the Sugar Bowl, which was postponed following the attack.
"The confidence is there to reopen Bourbon Street to the public before game time today," said Cantrell.
