Investigators believe multiple people were involved in the New Orleans terror attack after US Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar was identified as the driver who killed 15 people celebrating New Year in the city’s French Quarter.

Pope Francis has expressed his condolences to the people of New Orleans in a message to the city’s Archbishop Gregory Aymond and sent a blessing.

In a statement from Vatican City’s Pietro Parolin, he said:

His Holiness Pope Francis was deeply saddened to learn of the loss of life and injury caused by the attack that took place in New Orleans.

In assuring the entire community of his spiritual closeness, his Holiness commends the souls of those who have died to the loving mercy of almighty God and prays for the healing and consolation of the injured and bereaved.

A New Orleans police chief has told NBC’s Today show that authorities are looking into ‘people of interest’ in relation to the New Year’s Day terror attack in the city.

Speaking to presenters Hoda Kotb and Laura Jarrett, New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said:

We have people of interest. They are not people who are suspects at this time.

Dept Supt Kirkpatrick added the FBI was in the process of ‘tracking down everybody’.

A former college football star, high school senior, father-of-two and young mother are some of the 15 victims who tragically died when Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, deliberately drove into pedestrians with an ISIS flag attached to his car.

While details are continuing to emerge, here’s what we know so far:

• Tiger Bech

Bech, 28, who played football for Princeton University, was in New Orleans for the holidays. He graduated from the Ivy League in 2021 with a degree in finance. He worked as a trader at a New York brokerage firm, Broussard shared.

He was taken to a New Orleans area hospital after being struck by the vehicle. He was placed on life support until his family arrived, Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School, told KLFY.

• Ni’kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux

Ni’kyra, 18, who was known to her family as Cheyenne, ran toward the street into the path of the speeding truck after she, her cousin and friend panicked when gunfire rang out.

Cheyenne was not supposed to be in the city, but decided to sneak away with her 18-year-old cousin and friend, Zion Parsons, also 18, her mother Melissa Dedeaux, 40, told NOLA.com.

• Reggie Hunter

Hunter, a 37-year-old father of two from Baton Rouge, died after he decided to go to Bourbon Street to ring in 2025 after a shift at work, his cousin Shirell Jackson told NOLA.com.

• Matthew Tenedorio

The family of Matthew Tenedorio, 25, described him as a beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend ‘whose laid-back spirit and infectious laughter brought joy to everyone around him’. He worked as an audiovisual technician for the Caesars Superdome

• Kareem Badawi

Kareem was a freshman at the University of Alabama after he graduated from the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge. University president Stuart Bell said in a statement, ‘I grieve alongside family and friends of Kareem in their heartbreaking loss. Our staff have been actively engaged in supportive outreach and the Office of Student Care and Well Being is available at 205-348-2461 or bamacares@ua.edu. Please take a moment to pray for those impacted by this tragedy.

• Hubert Gauthreaux

Hubert’s family had been frantically sharing posts to social media that he was missing in the aftermath of the attack, before revealing the 21-year-old was found dead at a hospital. In a statement, his former school Archbishop Shaw High School said: ‘It is with great sorrow that we share that alum Hubert Gauthreaux, Class of 2021, was tragically killed in the senseless act of violence that occurred early this morning in the French Quarter.’

Nicole Perez was also named as among the 15 victims

Horrifying footage has emerged showing how New Year partygoers ran for their lives as the New Orleans terror attacker flew down Bourbon Street before the deadly rampage.

Crowds can be seen diving into buildings for cover as the rented EV speeds through the city’s French Quarter before the attack which killed 15 people and left dozens more injured.

New York City Mayor Eric Adams has declared security will be increased in New York City in wake of attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas with more police officers at some locations including Trump Tower.

In a statement posted on X, Mr Adams stressed while there is no immediate or credible threat to the city, extra protections have been drafted in as a precaution.

A blood drive is taking place in New Orleans today and tomorrow to help terror attack victims in the city.

The event is taking place at the New Orleans Blood Center located at 2609 Canal Street to ‘support blood replacement and medical care for victims suffering incident related injuries’.

It is being held from 10am to 5pm local time (4pm to 11pm UK time).

Also, New Orleans’ City Hall will be closed today but will reopen on Friday, city officials have said.

The closure was ordered to minimise traffic disruption.

The Sugar Bowl, an annual game of American Football played in New Orleans between two college teams, is expected to take place later today despite concerns from officials.

The match between Notre Dame and the University of Georgia was initially scheduled for New Year’s Day but was pushed back 24 hours following the terror attack.

It is now expected to be played at 3pm local time (9pm in the UK) at the 70,000-seat Caesars Superdome despite calls for a longer postponement.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said the delay was not long enough.

‘Not my decision, but I would like to see it delayed at least another day,’ Murrill told NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt on Wednesday. ‘If they asked my opinion, I would tell them that.’

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (Rep) has been criticised by social media users after he shared a picture of himself outside a steak restaurant in New Orleans.

Landry gave a thumbs up as he posed with staff outside Bon Ton Prime Rib in Magazine Street last night as he wrote:

Ate dinner tonight in New Orleans. Proud to be a part of this incredibly resilient city. See everyone at the game tomorrow!

But his remarks did not go down well online with some calling his post ‘shockingly tone deaf and insensitive’.

Nick Sortor wrote: Not sure who thought this was a good post to make, but their position should probably be “re-evaluated”

Appearing to respond to the criticism, Landry later posted:

It’s important to understand that we have many visitors in the city of New Orleans right now. Safety is our top priority and we want our guests and the world to know that Louisiana does not cower to radical islamic terrorists. Our restaurants and all New Orleans has to offer remain open for business!

Donald Trump has broken his silence on the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside his Las Vegas hotel, vowing to rid America of ‘violent scum.’

Army veteran Matthew Livelsberger is allegedly the man who filled the truck with explosives and fuel before driving it to the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas and setting them off on Wednesday morning, killing himself and leaving seven people injured.

The president-elect took to his social media platform, Truth Social, to excoriate the security and justice establishment.

He wrote in a post: ‘Our Country is a disaster, a laughing stock all over the World! This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership.

‘The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job. They are incompetent and corrupt, having spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME, rather than focusing on protecting Americans from the outside and inside violent SCUM that has infiltrated all aspects of our government, and our Nation itself.’

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill has said she is certain there are ‘multiple people’ involved in the New Orleans terror attack which killed 15 people on New Year’s Day.

Speaking to NBC News, Ms Murrill said police had searched an Airbnb rental in New Orleans that may have been connected to the manufacture of IEDs tied to the attack.

The FBI has previously said it does believe Jabbar was “solely responsible” for the attack and asked the public for assistance.

It said it is investigating Jabbar’s “potential associations and affiliations” with terroristic organizations.

The bomber who blew up a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas has been identified as Army veteran Matthew Livelsberger.

Although officers have not publicly named Livelsberger, 37, as the bomber, senior law enforcement sources confirmed his identity to KOAA and KTNV.

Livelsberger served over 19 years in the Army – 18 of which were spent with Special Forces, according to his LinkedIn profile. His current role was listed as a Remote and Autonomous Systems Manager, which he had been in for just three months.

A Colorado townhome associated with Livelsberger was raided by the FBI late Wednesday night. Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) were brought in to assist.

The suspected bomber was raised in Colorado Springs and has reportedly been linked to several addresses in the city, included the one searched by investigators.

He is suspected of renting the Elon Musk owned Cybertruck in Colorado Springs, via the Turo app, and driving it across the border to Nevada on Wednesday morning, stopping at various charging stations along the route.

Law enforcement sources revealed that Livelsberger, who died Wednesday in the explosion outside the hotel, had previously served at the same military base as New Orleans terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar.

Good morning, if you’re just joining our live coverage, the MailOnline team in London has temporarily taken over from our US colleagues at Dailymail.com to provide updates on the New Year terror attack.

We’ve had a number of new developments this morning as details continue to emerge about this horrific act of violence and its possible connection to an explosion involving a Tesla Cybertruck outside one of Donald Trump’s hotels in Las Vegas.

Here are the main takeaways you need to know:

• The man responsible for the Cybertruck explosion outside Trump International Hotel served at the same military base as the New Orleans terrorist
• Investigators scouring a rental property in New Orleans they believe was rented out by suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar uncovered bomb making materials inside
• Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar pledged ‘allegiance to ISIS’ in a series of videos he shared to his social media before killing 15 people
• A former college football star, high school senior, father-of-two and young mother, are among 15 victims killed in the horrific New Orleans terror attack
• President-elect Donald Trump has attacked US authorities describing the nation as a ‘laughing stock all over the world’ in the wake of the New Orleans attack

The terrorist behind the attack on New Year’s Eve revelers in New Orleans is an army veteran, real estate agent, and Deloitte IT guru.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, rammed a pickup truck flying an ISIS flag into a crowd on Bourbon Street about 3.15am, killing 15 and injuring at least 25 more.

Wearing military gear and with bombs inside the truck white electric Ford F-150 Lightning, he mowed down pedestrians then got out and gunned more of them down.

But just two years before his horrifying massacre, Jabbar was living a normal American life – working hard, starting businesses, and was married with a family.

Jabbar was born in Beamont, Texas, to Abdal and Herma Jabbar, who still live in the town, and grew up with two brothers and attending Central Senior High School.

‘I’ve been here all my life, with the exception of traveling for the military where I spent 10 years as a human resources and IT specialist,’ he said in a video promoting himself as a real estate agent in 2020.

Residents in New Orleans have been urged to donate blood in the wake of the horrific terror attack that left 15 people dead and dozens injured.

The New Orleans Police and Justice Foundation, a non-profit organisation that seeks to support officers in the state, said supplies were ‘already low’ at the time Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, drove a rented electric vehicle into crowds as they celebrated New Year.

The man responsible for the Cybertruck explosion outside Trump International Hotel served at the same military base as the New Orleans terrorist, according to a new report.

Law enforcement officers raided a home belonging to a 37-year-old man from Colorado Springs on Wednesday night.

The suspect has a military background and served at the same base as Shamsud-Din Jabbar (pictured above), who fatally ran down 15 people in a rented car in New Orleans in the early hours of New Years Day, Denver7 reported.

The bombshell revelation comes hours after police in Las Vegas confirmed they were exploring any potential links between the two men.

The Cybertruck suspect had several addresses in Colorado Springs linked to his name, and late on Wednesday night the FBI arrived at a townhouse complex associated with him.

The publication reported neighbors were ‘escorted away’ from the complex. Police have assured the public they do not suspect there is any ongoing threat to the community.

President-elect Donald Trump has attacked US authorities describing the nation as a ‘laughing stock all over the world’ in the wake of the New Orleans attack.

Posting on his Truth Social account, the soon-to-be president said:

This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership. The DOJ, FBI, and Democrat state and local prosecutors have not done their job. They are incompetent and corrupt, having spent all of their waking hours unlawfully attacking their political opponent, ME, rather than focusing on protecting Americans from the outside and inside violent SCUM that has infiltrated all aspects of our government, and our Nation itself.

Mr Trump has also called for the CIA to intervene to stop America ‘breaking down’.

Investigators are reportedly probing whether there is any military connection between Shamsud-Din Jabbar and the driver killed in the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, according to NBC News.

Sheriff Kevin McMahill, of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, told reporters that his officers are looking into any possible links between the two individuals but had so far not discovered any.

However, two sources have told NBC one area investigators are focusing on is whether there is a military association between Jabbar and the driver, who has not been identified.

The vehicles used in both incidents were rented through Turo, a car-sharing app. Turo said it is cooperating fully with investigators.

by Mark Almond for The Daily Mail

Almost a quarter-of-a-century on from the devastating terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, America is once again haunted by the risk posed by global terrorist groups.

Nothing as grotesquely spectacular as 9/11 has happened again, but yesterday’s carnage in New Orleans is a grisly reminder that ghostly Islamist terrorists still lurk in Western societies, even across the Atlantic.

The mayhem caused by the attacker – US citizen Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, whose truck carried an Islamic State flag – came out of the blue, at least from the perspective of the local authorities and police.

From the first news of the attack, Islamic State websites have been echoing with sick celebrations of the attack. This alone suggests that it was not the work of a lone wolf claiming to be an agent of IS, but was in fact organised from abroad by its underground HQ in the Middle East.

The fact that investigators found guns and concealed pipe bombs wired for remote detonation – as well as a corresponding remote control device inside the truck – was enough for the FBI to declare it does not believe the driver was acting alone.

Have US authorities and intelligence services taken their eye off the ball on domestic terror? Have the American public became too complacent about the risk back home?

Political leaders from across the world have reacted to the attack in New Orleans which the FBI is investigating as an ‘act of terrorism’ after 15 people were killed when a man drove a truck into a crowd of New Year partygoers.

Let’s see some of the reaction from all over the globe:

• UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer

The shockingly violent attack in New Orleans is horrific. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, the emergency responders and the people of the United States at this tragic time.

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

The news out of New Orleans this morning is horrifying. My heart is with the loved ones of the victims, those fighting to recover, and everyone impacted by this senseless act of violence.

• Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

All Australians are appalled by the attack in New Orleans, a shocking act of violence aimed at people celebrating the new year together. Our first thoughts in this moment are with the victims and their loved ones. Our nation stands with the people of the United States.

• French President Emmanuel Macron

New Orleans, so dear to the hearts of the French, has been struck by terrorism. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims and the injured, as well as with the American people, whose sorrow we share.

• German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

This is terrible news from New Orleans: People celebrating happily are torn from their lives or injured by senseless hatred. We grieve with the families and friends of the victims and wish all those injured a quick recovery.

• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky

Horrified by the attack in New Orleans, U.S., which has claimed innocent lives and left many injured. We trust that those responsible for this terrible act will be brought to justice. Violence, terrorism, and any threats to human life have no place in our world and must not be tolerated.

• Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba

The tragedy in New Orleans is a shocking and intolerable act of violence. Our thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, and American people. I wish all those injured a prompt recovery.

A New Orleans city council member has said the city is having to balance being safe while maintaining its image as a a city everyone loves.

Jean-Paul Morrell told CNN that the Louisiana city is ‘in the midst of looking at infrastructure improvements’ as it looks set to host the Super Bowl next month and the Sugar Bowl on Thursday.

Morrell said: ‘This event tomorrow will be so tremendously over resourced that it will be probably one of the safest places on Earth.

‘That being said, it’s not going to be the same event it would have been yesterday. It’s going to be an event with massive checkpoints.It’s going to be a different process.’

He said the city was ‘walking a difficult tightrope’ and is ‘recalibrating on a massive scale to see how we can continue to be the city everyone loves, while also making sure that we are safe.’

Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar struggled to acclimate to civilian life after he left the military.

Speaking with Georgia State University’s student paper in 2015, he complained about the Department of Veterans Affairs and difficulties over tuition and other benefits.

In a review of the article by the New York Times, he said: ‘It’s such a large agency, you have to do your due diligence, make sure you have your paperwork together.’

Jabbar also said he had found it hard to stop talking in military jargon, which he adopted in his years in service.

He said: ‘There’s so many different acronyms you’ve learned.You don’t know how to speak without using these terms, and you’re not sure what terms are used outside the military.’

Officials confirmed he had served from 2007 until 2015 and was deployed to Afghanistan, he left the Army with the rank of staff sergeant.

Investigators scouring a rental property in New Orleans they believe was rented out by suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar uncovered bomb making materials inside.

Exclusive DailyMail.com photographs show the moment the FBI removed bomb making materials from the two-bedroom and two-bathroom property close to the French Quarter.

A total containment vessel was seen being taken away from the property at around 8pm on New Years Day, hours after authorities had evacuated residents from the area.

The area is mostly rentals available to tourists travelling to the area for the holiday period, who have now been left without a place to stay.

Authorities told one couple ‘not to count’ on being allowed back into the properties, blocking off a three-street radius.

The FBI were joined by special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security.

Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar pledged ‘allegiance to ISIS’ in a series of videos he shared to his social media before killing 15 people.

According to The New York Times, he ‘pledged allegiance to ISIS’ in the videos

Multiple officials told CNN that the recordings appear to have been made while driving at night and the suspect is not visibile in them.

Authorities believe that the videos were made as he drove from Texas to Louisiana, although the timing is unclear.

CNN report that the recordings make reference to his divorce and that he planned on gathering his family together for a fake celebration so he could kill them.

A New Orleans teenager lost her friend ten minutes before Wednesday morning’s deadly attack and has been unable to find her since.

Isis Montrel, 17, has been hunting for find her friend Destiny Thomas, 18, but still hasn’t found her.

Speaking with NBC, she said: ‘I managed to get away 10 minutes before it happened, but my friend was still out here, and she still hasn’t come home yet.’

Montrel has taken it upon herself to try and find her friend, appearing at local hospitals and even contacting the coroner’s office for fearing the worst.

‘I’m praying that she made it’, the teen said.

A former college football star, high school senior, father-of-two and young mother, are among 15 victims killed in the horrific New Orleans terror attack.

Tiger Bech, 28, Ni’kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18, Reggie Hunter, 37, Nicole Perez, 27, Matthew Tenedorio, Kareem Badawi, and Hubert Gauthreaux, 21, lost their lives in the senseless attack on News Year’s Eve in the French Quarter.

Tenedorio, Gauthreaux and Badawi are the latest to be identified, with Tenedorio’s family launching a GoFundMe to help with funeral expenses.

Bech, who played football for Princeton University, was taken to a New Orleans area hospital after being struck by the vehicle.

He was placed on life support until his family arrived, Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School, told KLFY.

Ni’kyra, who was known to her family as Cheyenne, ran toward the street into the path of the speeding truck after she, her cousin and friend panicked when gunfire rang out.

Reggie, of Baton Rouge, also died after he decided to go to Bourbon Street to ring in 2025 after a shift at work, his cousin, Shirell Jackson, told NOLA.com.

A fourth victim, Nicole, described as ‘a great mother’, was out with her friends for the holiday when the truck hit her. She was taken to University Hospital where she later died.

Hubert Gauthreaux’s family had been frantically sharing posts to social media that he was missing in the aftermath of the attack, before revealing he was found dead at a hospital.

Top L-R: Hubert Gauthreaux, Tiger Bech and Reggie Hunter. Bottom L-R Ni’kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux, Matthew Tenedorio and Nicole Perez

Attorney General Liz Murrill posted to her X on Wednesday night warning: ‘In Louisiana we have the death penalty and we will carry it out.’

It appears she had been referring to earlier reports that the suspect in the incident had not worked alone.

The FBI has since said that people thought to have been planting devices at the scene have been ruled out as suspects.

Officers had previously said they would be investigating a number of people allegedly caught on video planting IEDs.

Law enforcement have started raiding a property in Houston believed to be connected to the suspect in the case.

The FBI said: ‘FBI Houston and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office are continuing a court-authorized search of a location near the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive.’

The agency had been awaiting on federal approval to enter and search the home.

A childhood friend of the suspect in the attack has said he couldn’t believe his eyes when he realized who authorities say is responsible for the killings of 15 people.

Chris Pousson had grown up with Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar after meeting at Beaumont Middle School in 1996.

Pousson had known him as ‘Sham’, and last spoke with him sometime in eight years ago, after losing touch when Jabbar joined the Army and Pousson joined the Air Force.

Speaking with NBC News, Pousson said: ‘What happened today was a complete 180 of anything I ever knew about him. He was very quiet, very reserved, smart, articulate.’

They reconnected years later via Facebook, with Pousson noticing posts focused on his Muslim faith.

He added: ‘It was always positive, peace be with you, uplifting type of stuff. Nothing that he posted online that I saw was negative. I didn’t see this coming from a mile away.’

Car sharing company Turo said in a statement that it is ‘heartbroken’ after incidents involving their vehicles in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

They said: ‘We are actively partnering with law enforcement authorities as they investigate both incidents.

‘We do not believe that either renter involved in the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat.’

The Vegas incident involved a CyberTruck being parked outside of a Trump hotel and exploding after being loaded with gasoline canisters and fireworks.

Two teenagers have been idenfitied as those injured among the New Orleans attack, according to the Canterbury School in Florida.

The two women, Elle Eisele and Steele Idelson, are said to have gradudated from the Fort Myers school in 2023.

In a statement, they said: ‘The Eisele and Idelson families are deeply grateful for the outpouring of thoughts, prayers, and offers of support for our daughters following the tragic attack in New Orleans.

‘We are especially thankful for the exceptional care and compassion they are receiving at University Medical Center.

‘We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to the first responders, whose swift actions may have saved our daughters’ lives.

‘To everyone who has reached out with love and support, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.’

Steele Idelson, front, and Elle Eisele, were identified as being injured in the attack

Armed teams have been seen surrounding the property of the suspect in the New Orleans attack.

Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar’s home in the Texan city of Houston was seen swarmed by officers of the FBI and Harris County.

Deputies blocked off the area as they prepared to search the property in connection with Wednesday’s attack.

The FBI’s Houston office said in a post to social media: ‘FBI Houston and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office are currently conducting law enforcement activity near the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive in north Houston.

‘We have secured a perimeter in that area and are asking people to avoid the area,. FBI Houston personnel and specialized teams will be on-site for several hours.

‘This activity is related to this morning’s New Orleans attack, but due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, no further information can be provided.’

Sources told CNN that they are awaiting federal authorization before searching the address.

A New Orleans city council member has said he spoke with two officers who were shot in the gunfight with the suspect in the attack.

Thomas told CNN: ‘I met with both of the officers and some of their family members. They’re both doing well. They were high spirited’.

After ramming into the crowd the gunman left the vehicle and started opening fire on responding officers.

He was then gunned down by law enforcement. Thomas said the people in the hospital reminded the officers that ‘had they not gone to the perpetrator to nullify his threat and put their selves in the line of fire to potentially be killed or hurt’.

The Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Wednesday night that two of those injured following the attack are Mexican.

In a post to X, they said: ‘The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports that U.S. authorities have just confirmed that two Mexicans were affected by the unfortunate attack that occurred early this morning in New Orleans.

‘Both are reported stable. The Mexican Consulate in New Orleans maintains contact with their families and provides the assistance and support that is required.’

The President of Mexico Claudia Sheinbaum has condemned the attack, saying: ‘Our solidarity with the families of the victims and with the people of the United States.’

Authorities in New Orleans raided a Airbnb property in the Louisiana city in connection with the manufacturing of IEDs tied to the attack.

State Attorney General Liz Murrill told NBC News: ‘We know that these individuals had rented the house were using it for that purpose.’

Murrill also told the outlet that she wanted the Sugar Bowl game to be delayed and pushed back a day.

She said that she believes the local community in the city to now be safe following the attack.

Murrill is seen here speaking to the media during a press conference on January 1, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana

Former First Lady Melania Trump posted on X that she was sending her ‘thoughts and prayers’ following the New Orleans incident and the cybertruck explosion outside of the Trump hotel in Las Vegas.

She said: ‘The incidents of violence that have impacted our communities are deeply concerning. The brutality must stop.

‘My heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the families who are experiencing such profound grief and loss. Let us strive for a future where peace prevails.’

Suspect Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar is said to have made a series of videos that is being reviewed by law enforcement.

Multiple officials told CNN that the recordings appear to have been made while driving at night and the suspect is not visibile in them.

Authorities believe that the videos were made as he drove from Texas to Louisiana, although the timing is unclear.

CNN report that the recordings make reference to his divorce and that he planned on gathering his family together for a fake celebration so he could kill them.

The suspect is also said to have talked about how he joined ISIS, and spoke of dreams that he had about joining the terrorist group.

Jabbar is seen in this undated handout photograph obtained by Reuters

Speaking from Camp David, Biden reiterated that the alleged killer was a Texas-born American who served in the armed forces and was inspired by ISIS to mow down and kill at least 15 victims in the early hours of 2025.

‘No one should jump to conclusions,’ he advised.

‘The FBI also reported to me that mere hours before he attacked he posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS – especially the desire to kill, the desire to kill,’ Biden said. ‘The ISIS flag was found in his vehicle, which he rented to conduct this attack.’

The president called the situation ‘very fluid’ and said he was being updated on the Tesla Cybertruck explosion outside President-elect Donald Trump‘s Las Vegas hotel as well.

‘Including whether there’s any possible connection with the attack in New Orleans,’ Biden said. ‘Thus far, there’s nothing to report on that score at this time.’

Both vehicles were rented out on Turo, a car-sharing app, but beyond that there doesn’t appear to be a connection.

The president gave just brief remarks and walked off ignoring shouted questions including whether he had been in touch with Trump, who will be sworn back in as president in just 20 days.

Biden started off his Camp David appearance by consoling those in mourning.

‘Our nation grieves with you. We’re going to stand with you as you mourn and as you heal in the weeks to come,’ the president said.

The New Orleans Coroner Dwight McKenna said that those killed in the attack have injuries consistent with being struck with a vehicle, and not shot.

McKenna told WDSU that: ‘We have not done the autopsies, but it appears that the wounds were related to the car accident — but we have not done the autopsies yet.’

He added that the autopsies would start tomorrow and that a cause of death wouldn’t be confirmed until those are done.

‘Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those families’, he said.

The brother of Shamsud-Din Bahar has told The New York Times that his brother was a caring man.

Abdur Jabbar, 24, of Beaumont Texas, told the outlet: ‘[He was] a sweetheart really, a nice guy, a friend, really smart, caring.’

He said that his brother had converted to Islam at a young age, and that ‘what he did does not represent Islam. This is more some type of radicalization, not religion’.

Bahar is said to have been behind the wheel of a Ford pickup that killed 15 in the French Quarter of New Orleans on Wednesday morning.

He had been reportedly carrying an ISIS flag at the time of the attack, and had a chest with explosives inside it.

Military officials have revealed that the suspect in the attack had worked in the regular Army as a Human Resource and IT specialist.

Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar was in the role from March 2007 until January 2015, and was in the Army Resrve from January 2015 until July 2020.

He had been deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, and held the rank of Staff Sergeant at the end of his service.

The New York Times reported that he had been awarded a number of medals for good conduct and achievement, as well as for completing patachute jump school.

President Joe Biden is to address the nation from Camp David tonight following the events in New Orleans.

In a statement earlier on Wednesday Biden said he had been briefed on the incident and was grateful to local law enforcement for preventing ‘even greater death and injury’.

The ex-wife of the New Orleans attack suspect Shamsu-Din Jabbar had filed for a restraining order against him after a divorce petition.

According to records seen by NBC, his former partner Shaneen Chantil Jabbar was given the order against him in July 2020 after filing a petition for divorce.

The order was said to have told both parties to not ‘intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly [cause] bodily injury to the other party or to a child of either party’.

Their divorce case was dismissed in August 2020 but another petition as filed in 2021.

A judge filed an order saying the couple divorced on the ground of insupportability in August 2022.

He was also ordered to pay his ex-wife monthly child support, the order said.

The FBI has said that people thought to have been planting devices at the scene have been ruled out as suspects.

Officers had previously said they would be investigating a number of people allegedly caught on video planting IEDs.

A man was seen standing outside the home of New Orleans attack suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar being ordered by a SWAT team to raise his hands.

The unknown man, that was caught by a KRPC2 drone, could be seen outside Jabbar’s home in Houston, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon.

As the video pans out a full SWAT team can be seen standing with their weapons drawn and pointed directly at him.

The gunman was killed by police after he slammed a truck into pedestrians celebrating the New Year, exited the vehicle, and started firing.

Footage has emerged on social media showing multiple police vehicles speeding away from the scene of the incident after a loud bang was heard.

WSB reporter Zach Klein shared video of the three cars driving from Bourbon Street to his X account, saying they headed in the direction of a loud bang.

It remains unclear what the noise was, and if it was related to reports of IEDs left at the scene.

Another video shared by Klein shows two vehicles returning to the scene shortly after.

The fourth victim in Tuesday’s terror attack has been named as Nicole Perez, 27.

She was among at least 15 people who tragically lost their lives in the attack, alongside father-of-two Reggie Hunter, 37, former college football star Tiger Bech, 28, and high school senior Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18.

Father-of-two Reggie Hunter, 37, has been named as another victim who lost his life in Tuesday’s New Year’s massacre.

He was revealed as another of the victims after former college football star Tiger Bech, 28, and high school senior Cheyenne Dedeaux, 18.

Authorities are investigating whether a Cybertruck that exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas was an act of terrorism.

The huge vehicle was seen in surveillance footage exploding into a fiery blaze outside the hotel around 9am on Wednesday, killing one and injuring seven others.

It comes just hours after Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, killed 15 people and injured dozens more in a terrorist attack in New Orleans.

Sheriff Kevin McMahill said police are treating the explosion as an act of terror, alongside the New Orleans attack.

He said: ‘With the event that occurred [in New Orleans], and the victims there, and the additional IEDs, so as you can imagine, with an explosion here on our iconic Las Vegas Boulevard, we are taking all of the precautions that we need to take to keep the community safe.’

Tiger Bech, 28, of Lafayette, Louisiana, has become the second person publicly identified as a victim of Tuesday’s New Year’s massacre.

Bech who played football for Princeton University, was taken to a New Orleans area hospital after being struck by the vehicle.

He was placed on life support until his family arrived, Kim Broussard, the athletic director at St. Thomas More Catholic High School, told KLFY.

His older brother, Jack Bech, former Louisiana State University and Texas Christian University wide receiver, later confirmed his older brother’s death in a heartbreaking post on X.

‘Love you always brother ! You inspired me everyday now you get to be with me in every moment. I got this family T, don’t worry. This is for us,’ Jack wrote.

Authorities were seen Wednesday afternoon at the home Shamsud Din Jabbar in Harris County, Houston, Texas.

Sheriff’s deputies descended on the home as the investigation into Jabbar’s motives ramps up, with officials indicating that they believe it was inspired by ISIS.

The FBI said Wednesday afternoon they found writings that they believe supports the theory that the attack was inspired by ISIS.

Sources revealed the discovery of the writings to CNN, but did not elaborate on what they were.

Dozens were evacuated from St. Roch area in the city after a fire broke out at an AirBnB.

Police believe the fireat 1329 Mandeville Street is connected to the deadly attack in the French Qaurter, as reported by NOLA.

Officials say residents and visitors should feel safe in New Orleans even as they have repeatedly acknowledged that they are aggressively seeking additional possible suspects in the attack.

During a news conference, Republican governor Jeff Landry bristled at a question about how officials were confident that Jabbar did not act alone, saying, ‘Why would we tell you?’

But a Louisiana State Police bulletin obtained by The Associated Press and circulated among law enforcement contained a possible clue – The document said surveillance footage captured three men and a woman placing one of multiple improvised explosive devices.

The New York Times reports that Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, converted to Islam within the last year.

The current husband of Jabbar’s ex-wife said he was ‘being all crazy.’

Jabbar had tro daughters, a teenager and a young adult, who are reportedly ‘a mess’ following the attack in New Orleans.

Mechanical barricades which normally stop traffic from entering the street during pedestrian-only times are in the process of being replaced, per the city website, potentially leaving it vulnerable to such an attack.

An Islamic State group flag was found on the vehicle’s trailer hitch, the FBI said.

Guns and pipe bombs were also found in the vehicle, according to a Louisiana State Police intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press.

The devices, which were concealed within coolers, were wired for remote detonation, the bulletin said, and a corresponding remote control was discovered inside the vehicle.

Shamsud Din Jabbar was arrested in Katy, Texas, in 2002 for misdemeanor theft.

He was also arrested in 2005 in his hometown of Beaument for driving with an invalid license.

Both offenses were misdemeanors.

Ni’kyra Cheyenne Dedeaux traveled to the French Quarter on Tuesday from Gulfport, Mississippi with her cousin to ring in the new year together.

She is one of at least 15 dead after Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, drove a white Ford F-150 into pedestrians ringing in 2025 in New Orleans’ French Quarter Wednesday around 3.15am local time.

The pickup truck used in the attack was rented via Turo, an app that connects drivers, known as ‘guests,’ with vehicle owners, known as ‘hosts,’ according to Steve Webb, the company’s vice president of communications.

‘We are heartbroken to learn that one of our host’s vehicles was involved in this awful incident,’ Webb said.

‘We are actively partnering with the FBI. We are not currently aware of anything in this guest’s background that would have identified him as a trust and safety threat to us at the time of the reservation.’

Investigators have reviewed video of three men and a woman placing explosives in probe of New Orleans attack, document shows, per The Associated Press.

It comes after the FBI said they believe the suspect did not act alone.

NOLA Police comissioner Ann Kirkpatrick said: ‘We had barriers there. We had officers there, and they still got around.’

She added: ‘We did indeed have a plan, but the terrorist defeated it.’

Kirkpatrick was asked about the bollards in the area and whether they were functional.

She said the suspect drove on the sidewalk and around the barrier.

The Republican appeared alongside other officials on Wednesday to update the public on the New Year’s attack in New Orleans.

‘I will promise you this: When it is appropriate and this investigation is complete, you will find out what happened and who was responsible, or I will raise fresh hell,’ Kennedy said.

‘And I will chase those in the federal government who are responsible for telling us what happened.’

Republican governor Jeff Landry said on Wednesday that he has issued an emergency declaration to receive federal and state help.

‘Ironically, in preparation for the Super Bowl, I had intended to issue an emergency declaration tomorrow so that we could bring all our federal, state and local agencies to bear in preparation for the Super Bowl and Mardi Gras, but because of the events today, I have amended that emergency declaration and issued it today,’ Landry said.

‘That declaration would allow federal, state and local partners to bring all resources necessary to get this city safe.’

The apparent killer Shamsud Din Jabbar said in August 2022 that he worked at the accounting firm Deloitte and made about $120,000 a year, as reported by The New York Times.

Jabbar reportedly sent an email the same year saying he owed more than $27,000 in late home payments and was at risk of foreclosure.

Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley said the game between Georgia and Notre Dame will be postponed in the wage of the New Year’s tragedy.

Shamsud Din Jabbar claimed in 2022, as he went through his second divorce, that he could not afford his house patments.

‘It is past due in excess of $27,000 and in danger of foreclosure if we delay settling the divorce,’ he wrote in emails, according to The New York Times.

Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan said in a press conference Wednesday afternoon that the FBI ‘did not believe that the suspect “was solely responsible.’

Federal forces are currently looking for anyone who could have assisted in the attack.

University President Jere W. Morehead issued a statement on Monday.

‘At this point, we have learned that a University of Georgia student was critically injured in the attack and is receiving medical treatment. I have spoken to the student’s family and shared my concern, support and well wishes on behalf of the entire UGA community,’ Morehead said in part.

A little girl was seen dancing just before she was mowed down by a terrorist in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, a witness revealed.

Jimmy Cothran, a New Orleans resident of 15 years, told NBC News that he took cover on a nightclub balcony as the heinous attack unfolded, counting a total of eight bodies on the street within ‘just a couple seconds’.

‘A little girl that we had seen dancing as we were walking up the street was as flat as a pillow. I mean, it just kept going,’ Cothran recalled. ‘Every eye shot – body, body, body, body, body. It was unbelievable.’

The truck used in the attack, a white Ford F-150 Lightning electric vehicle, is owned by Rodrigo Diaz, per ABC News.

Diaz apparently rented out the truck on the rental app Turo.

His wife Dora Diaz told ABC they are ‘devastated’ and had no idea the truck would be used for a terrorist attack.

‘My husband rents cars through the Turo app. I can’t tell you anything else. I’m here with my kids, and this is devastating,’ Diaz said.

The FBI said they have found other potential explosive devices – separate from those found inside the van used to kill 10 people.

Officials have asked that people stay away from the beloved area as the probe continues.

Federal detectives are working to determine ‘potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations.’

‘We recognize that there are tourists around us, and we urge all to avoid the French Quarter as this is an active investigation,’ Landry said in part.

‘We understand the concerns of the community and want to reassure everyone that the safety of the French Quarter and the city of New Orleans remains our top priority.’

Shamsud Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old US citizen born in Texas, has been pictured.

He was shot and killed in a shootout with police.

Jabbar reportedly served time in the US army and was honorably discharged.

Louisiana Lt Governor Billy Nungesser said investigators were probing whether the attack was connected to ISIS and if a flag on the back of the truck was connected to the terrorist group.

NOLA.com has identified the man who killed 10 people in New Orleans as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, a US citizen born in Texas.

The local outlet reported that Jabbar was carrying an ISIS flag in the truck and was dressed in military gear.

City documents show New Orleans has been in the midst of a major project to remove and replace post-like barriers called bollards designed to prevent vehicle attacks along Bourbon Street.

That project began in November and involves replacing old bollards with new removable stainless steel bollards.

The FBI is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism.

Police Commissioner Anne Kirkpatrick said the driver was ‘hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did’ and he tried ‘to run over as many people as he could.’

Kirkpatrick said two police officers were shot after the driver emerged from the truck and are in stable condition.

ABC News has reported that officials are looking into whether the driver of the truck who slammed into the New Year’s crowd had any connections to the Islamic State.

A witness told CNN that steel mechanical barricades were not up prior to the attack.

‘Those barricades were not up, period,’ Jimmy Cothran said.

‘They had the flimsy orange ones that you could just push over with your finger. We actually thought it was kind of odd.’

The New York Times is reporting that the Ford electric vehicle was owned by a 42-year-old man from Houston, Texas.

The truck was apparently rented on Turo, and police have already contacted the owener who listed it.

Police have not revealed additional details about the killer.

‘When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true,’ Trump said after Fox News revealed the truck used in the attack had recently crossed the border.

‘The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department.

‘The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!’

Fox News is reporting that the truck a man used to slam into a crowd in New Orleans crossed into the US from Mexico through Eagle Pass, Texas, on November 16th.

The crossing would have been a legal one, as the truck had a Texas plate.

Moreover, it appears the truck was not being driven by the attacker at the time.

Fox corrected its earlier report that claimed the truck had crossed the border jsut two days ago.

President Joe Biden is being criticized for his ‘tone deaf’ response after an overnight tragedy left at least 10 dead and 30 others injured at a New Orleans New Year’s Eve celebration.

Biden’s first post on X in 2025 was a simple ‘Happy New Year, folks’ at 10am ET.

FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan said officials were investigating at least one suspected improvised explosive device at the scene.

‘My heart is broken for those who began their year by learning people they love were killed in this horrific attack,’ Garland said in a statement.

He said hw would ‘deploy every available resource to conduct this investigation.’

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the FBI and Homeland Security are part of the investigation.

New Orleans police say today’s Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame will go ahead, despite a NYE ‘terrorist’ attack killing 10 people less than a mile from the stadium.

The electric vehicle used by the alleged New Orleans terrorist to plow into a crowd of revelers celebrating the New Year on Bourbon Street has sparked a mystery after a hidden object was spotted on the back of the SUV.

While an FBI special agent had said the tragedy was not ‘a terrorist event,’ the agency updated the public in a new statement.

‘This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others,’ the FBI said in a statement.

‘The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased.

‘The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.’

Officials said they believe that a mojority of the at least 35 people who were injured are New Orleans locals, and not tourists.

Several sources have revealed that the man who drove his truck into the crowd on Bourbon Street was killed after he exited his vehicle and started shooting.

The gunman – whose identity has not yet been released – injured two NOLA police officers during the shootout, who are in stable condition.

The suspect rammed a vehicle into a crowd of pedestrians in New Orleans’ bustling French Quarter district at 3.15am Wednesday along Bourbon Street, known worldwide as one of the largest destinations for New Year’s Eve parties, and with crowds in the city ballooning in anticipation for the Sugar Bowl college football playoff game at the nearby Superdome later in the day.

Witness Jim Mowrer, who was visiting New Orleans, told CBS News he was in the middle of the road when the truck approached but managed to run for cover.

He then heard gunfire as police confronted the gunman.

Mowrer said he tried to help some of the victims before realizing they were dead.

Several sources have revealed that the man who drove his truck into the crowd celebrating New Year’s Eve was killed after he exited his vehicle and started shooting.

The gunman injured two NOLA police officers who are in stable condition.

Officials have not revealed any details about the gunman who killed at least 10 people early on Wednesday.

The White House said: ‘President Biden has been briefed on the horrific news that a driver killed and injured dozens of individuals in New Orleans overnight and the White House has been in touch with New Orleans Mayor Cantrell to offer support.

‘The FBI is already on the ground supporting local law enforcement in the investigation and the President will continue to be briefed throughout the day.’

The president is currently with his family in Wilmington, Delaware.

WDSU-TV is reporting that the suspect in the Bourbon Street attack was killed.

Police are yet to provide any information about the suspect, aside from his gender.

Authorities have not offered any information about the status of the man who they intentionally drove a truck into the crowd in Bourbon Street, killing 10.

It’s unclear if the suspect is alive after a shooting confrontation with police.

His age and identity also remain unclear.

Federal agents will lead the investigation into the New Year’s attack in New Orleans,

Officials said an improvised explosive device was found in the area.

While NOLA mayor LaToya Cantrell called the event a terror attack, FBI special agent Alethea Duncan then said ‘it’s not a terrorist event.’

Officials revealed Wedbesdagt morning that the suspect fired at police and hit two officers who are in stable condition.

The suspect was ‘hellbent on creating carnage,’ according to police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.

‘It involved a man driving a pickup truck down bourbon street at a very fast pace,’ NOLA police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said in a press conference.

‘It was very intentional behavior… this man was trying to run as many people over as he could.’

The chief added that ‘this wasn’t a DUI situation.’

She confirmed 10 people were killed and more than 35 injured.

Mayor LaToya Cantrell called the tragedy a terror attack on Wednesday morning.

She asked the public to stay clear of the eight blocks surrounding Bourbon Street.

‘We do know that the city of New Orleans was impacted by a terrorist attack,’ Cantrell said,

There was heightened security in the city, and specifically the famous French Quarter, when the attack happened Wednesday morning.

The New Orleans Police Department had said on Monday it would be staffed ‘at 100 percent’ and also have an additional 300 officers assisting.

In a statement, police said they would deply ‘a strong presence of marked and unmarked police vehicles, as well as officers on foot, bike, and horseback.’

Video shared on social media of the aftermath of the attack shows injured bodies lying on Bourbon street.

People are seen standing over the bodies, which are in pools of blood, seemingly in shock as officials with long guns run down the area.

Eyewitnesses have spoken to US media about the moment an SUV crashed into crowds of pedestrians celebrating the New Year in Bourbon Street.

Speaking to CNN, Kevin Garcia, 22, said:

All I seen was a truck slamming into everyone on the left side of Bourbon sidewalk. A body came flying at me.

Whit Davis, also 22, added:

Everyone started yelling and screaming and running to the back, and then we basically went into lockdown for a little bit and then it calmed down but they wouldn’t let us leave.

When they finally let us out of the club, police waved us where to walk and were telling us to get out of the area fast. I saw a few dead bodies they couldn’t even cover up and tons of people receiving first aid.

So far we’ve not had a statement from the New Orleans Police Department but we’ve heard from the city’s official disaster preparedness agency, NOLA Ready.

The agency said:

The 8th District is currently working a mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street. There are 30 injured patients that have been transported by NOEMS (New Orleans Emergency Medical Services) and 10 fatalities. Public safety partners are responding on scene. Updates will follow as they are received.

A man, who claimed to witness the incident while on Bourbon Street with his wife, wrote on X that he saw an SUV ‘speeding’ down the road and ‘running people over’.

Another alleged witness told WLWT that she saw the vehicle strike the crowd and started running, claiming she only escaped ‘by the grace of god’.

The woman also claimed that multiple officers opened fire at the vehicle, trying to get the driver to stop, the TV news station reported.

Bourbon Street, famous for its many bars and clubs, has reportedly been shut down while investigators work the scene.

DailyMail.com has contacted New Orleans Police Department for more information.

At least 10 people dead and 30 left injured after an SUV allegedly plowed into crowds celebrating New Year on a popular party street in New Orleans.

The driver rammed into a large group near the intersection of Bourbon Street and Canal Street on Wednesday around 3.15am local time, city officials have confirmed.

Witnesses claim the suspect was ‘wearing full body armor’ and ‘armed with an assault rifle’, according to reports on social media.

Dozens of police officers have responded to what authorities have declared a ‘mass casualty event’ and a portion of the road has been cordoned off. Paramedics, ambulances and vehicles from the coroner’s office were also seen at the scene.

Ambulances have transported the wounded to area hospitals, the city added, and police are continuing to investigate the incident.