UNITED STATES – The night of celebration turned into drama. As New Orleans celebrated the transition to the new year, a vehicle drove into the crowd in the city’s most touristy district, on the night of Tuesday, December 31 to Wednesday, January 1. At least ten people died in this attack, and thirty-five others were injured.
• What happened
The attack took place in the middle of the night, around 3:15 a.m. local time, in the French Quarter, known to be the most touristy in the city. Renowned for its restaurants, bars and jazz clubs, this district is also home to cabarets and places welcoming people from the LGBT community.
A white pick-up van drove into “high speed” in an area between Canal Street and Bourbon Street. The place was crowded, with many people celebrating the New Year, in this historic and festive area. The driver “ was trying to crush as many people as possible”local police chief Anne Kirkpatrick told the press.
According to accounts from witnesses at the scene, the driver then jumped out of his vehicle and began shooting at the crowd with a gun. In response, police opened fire, the channel reported CBS.
• The results of the attack
At least ten people were killed during this attack, according to the latest report provided by local authorities. The driver of the car also injured 35 people.
The identities of the injured have not yet been detailed. Anne Kirkpatrick indicated that she did not yet know “ how many people are tourists or locals, but from the information I currently have it seems the majority are locals”.
Two police officers were also shot and injured during the attack. Their condition is now stable. According to the municipality, the number of law enforcement officers had been increased during the New Year period, with the authorities preparing for a large crowd in the streets. New Orleans is indeed one of the most visited destinations in the United States.
• The profile of the suspect
After announcing the death of the attack suspect, the FBI revealed his identity. He is a 42-year-old American citizen from Texas, named Shamsud-Din Jabbar. “He’s an Army veteran, we believe he left the Army in a regular manner, but we’re working to get all that information.”said FBI Special Agent Alethea Duncan.
He was arrested for two minor incidents: in 2002 for theft and in 2005 for driving without a license, says CNN. The FBI added that he “did not act alone.” Furthermore, he drove a Ford pickup truck “which appears to have been rented”.
• The trail of a terrorist act
Finally, the FBI announced that it was handling the case “as an act of terrorism”. “An ISIS flag was found in the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the individual’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations.”he said in a press release.
In addition, investigators found a possible homemade explosive device at the scene of the attack. “We are trying to confirm whether or not this is an active, functioning device.”explained Alethea Duncan of the FBI during a press briefing.
The mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, for her part described the incident as“terrorist attack”. Outgoing US President Joe Biden first called her to “offer the full support of the federal government after the horrible news”then he declared in a statement that “Nothing justifies violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attacks against the people of our country.”
Source: www.huffingtonpost.fr
