By Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs and Keith Bradsher
On Thursday, investigators announced their belief that the U.S. Army veteran who drove a pickup into New Year’s celebrators acted independently, having previously explored the possibility of additional individuals assisting him in placing explosives in coolers within the French Quarter.
Following a thorough examination of numerous interviews and analysis of the assailant’s communications, social media profiles, and digital devices, Christopher Raia from the FBI’s counterterrorism division remarked at a press conference, “We are now confident that there are no accomplices involved.”
With no further immediate threats, officials in New Orleans indicated plans to reopen Bourbon Street and expressed assurance in the security measures implemented for the Sugar Bowl, which had initially been scheduled for Wednesday night but was postponed to this afternoon.
The attack resulted in at least 14 deaths and numerous injuries in the early hours of New Year’s Day. Authorities identified the pickup driver, who died in a confrontation with law enforcement, as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, from Beaumont, Texas.
Here’s what else you should be aware of:
— Islamic State influenced: The assailant, who had eight years of military service and was deployed to Afghanistan, claimed in an online video that he had become affiliated with the Islamic State group, Raia stated. Initially, he intended to harm his family and friends but reconsidered how that might be perceived by the media, Raia noted. “He was completely motivated by ISIS,” he said, referring to the Islamic State by its alternative name.
— Las Vegas: Raia mentioned that investigators have found no connection between the New Orleans incident and the explosion of a Tesla truck outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas that resulted in one death on Wednesday, while emphasizing that no possibilities have been dismissed.
— Sugar Bowl: An increased police presence was noted around the Superdome, where over 80,000 spectators are anticipated to gather for a rescheduled game between Notre Dame and Georgia at 4 p.m. Eastern time Thursday. On Bourbon Street that morning, authorities started permitting street sweepers to clear the aftermath of the attack in preparation for the expected arrival of patrons before and after the game.
— The incident: Jabbar accelerated the rented pickup into crowds at approximately 3:15 a.m. before colliding with a barrier and exchanging gunfire with three police officers, according to Anne Kirkpatrick, the superintendent of the New Orleans Police. Two officers sustained injuries in the shootout and were taken to the hospital, she stated.
— Security concerns: Officials reported that security bollards along part of Bourbon Street had been taken down for maintenance in preparation for the Super Bowl in February. While patrol vehicles and barriers were established to restrict access to the street, the assailant maneuvered around them, according to Kirkpatrick.
