Jan. 2 (UPI) — Officials said Thursday afternoon that they are still putting together the activities of suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar before he allegedly used a rented pickup truck to kill 14 people and injure about 35 others before being killed by police in New Orleans’ iconic French Quarter on New Year’s Day.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said during a press conference that the investigation was like “putting a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle” together but law enforcement has come to some conclusions, some differing from their initial thoughts.
Authorities said they now believe that Jabbar acted alone and had no one helping him, which was a change from Wednesday when it was believed that he had assistance. They also believe that he planted improvised explosive devices in the French Quarter before returning with his truck but that is still an assumption.
While Jabbar had an ISIS flag, officials said there was no truth to a circulated rumor that he was also wearing a suicide vest. Authorities said, however, they believe in their initial investigation that he was inspired by the Islamic State.
“This was an act of terrorism,” Christopher Raia, the FBI’s assistant director for counter-terrorism, said. “It was premeditated and an evil act. … We have been aggressively running down these tips and information.”
Raia said thoughts of Jabbar having help did not pan out after the FBI started interviews and examined surrounding security video and data. He said he felt confident that they had whittled down the terrorist’s actions that night all to Jabbar.
He said the FBI is still looking to talk to those who had seen Jabbar in his home state of Texas or had served with him in the Army. Raia said that any information, regardless of how small, could help them piece together his motive and intentions.
Landry said the incident is still just one day old and that law enforcement is still working on a lot of assumptions as the investigation continues, so they can’t answer some basic questions right now as to Jabbar’s movements during New Year’s Eve and how the incident was plotted.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the French Quarter had been turned back over to the City of New Orleans after the FBI and other agencies conducted their investigation, which included identifying the bodies of those who have died and notifying their families.
Cantrell said Bourbon Street and the rest of the French Quarter would be open by the time the Sugar Bowl starts at 3 p.m. CST. The NCAA Division I college playoff game had been postponed one day because of the tragedy.
New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said security for the Sugar Bowl on Thursday will now have the same level of security as the Super Bowl, which New Orleans is also hosting in February.
In the meantime, White House Deputy Press Secretary Emilie Simons said that President Joe Biden called members of the Homeland Security team together in the Situation Room to receive an update on the New Orleans investigation.
