President Joe Biden said the FBI is leading an investigation to “determine what happened, why “it happened, and whether there is any continuing threat to public safety” after Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove into a crowd in New Orleans.
“I know I can speak for all Americans when I say our hearts are with the people of New Orleans after the despicable attack that occurred in the early morning hours,” Biden said.
He said the FBI has reported that the “killer was an American citizen born in Texas. He served in the United States Army on active duty for many years. He also served in the Army Reserve until a few years ago. The FBI also reported to me that mere hours before the attack, he posted videos on social media indicating that he’s inspired by ISIS, expressing a desire to kill. A desire to kill. The ISIS flag was found in his vehicle, which he rented to conduct this attack. Possible explosives were found in the vehicle as well, and more explosives were found nearby.”
“The situation is very fluid in the investigation at a preliminary stage. And the fact is that right now, law enforcement and intelligence communities continue to look for any connections, associations, or co-conspirators. We have nothing additional to report at this time. The investigation is continuing to be active and no one should jump to conclusions.”
Authorities report that Jabbar intentionally drove a pickup truck through barricades into a crowd of pedestrians near Canal Street early Wednesday morning. The vehicle, bearing a Texas license plate, was reportedly carrying an ISIS flag, along with a handgun, an AR-style rifle, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
