The death toll has now risen to at least 15 people in the New Orleans "act of terrorism" after a car rammed into a crowd on Bourbon Street in the early hours of Wednesday (US local time), media reported.
In an official statement, New Orleans Coroner Dwight McKenna said, "As of now, 15 people are deceased. It will take several days to perform all autopsies. Once we complete the autopsies and talk with the next of kin, we will release the identifications of the victims."
McKenna reported that the New Orleans Police Department is collaborating closely with the FBI and Homeland Security to investigate this attack. The FBI had earlier labeled the incident as 'an act of terrorism' and disclosed that the driver, Shamsud Din Jabbar, possessed an ISIS flag and several suspected explosive devices in his vehicle. Additionally, the FBI mentioned that the vehicle was rented from a car-sharing platform called Turo. Furthermore, the FBI previously indicated that it does not believe Shamsud Din Jabbar, the driver involved in the New Orleans attack, acted 'solely responsible' for the 'act of terrorism.'
Alethea Duncan, the assistant special agent in charge of the FBI's New Orleans field office, stated that the investigation is 'actively pursuing every lead, including those related to Jabbar's known associates.' She added, 'That's why we need the public's assistance. We're requesting anyone who has interacted with Shamsud Din Jabbar in the past 72 hours to reach out to us,' during a news conference.
The FBI is requesting assistance from the public. They are seeking any information, videos, or pictures that people might have, according to her statement. Duncan also noted that an ISIS flag was discovered on the trailer hitch of Jabbar's vehicle. The FBI is investigating Jabbar's possible connections and affiliations with terrorist groups, she added.
A media report reveals that the FBI has identified Shamsud Din Jabbar as a Texas resident and an ex-member of the U.S. military. In a statement on X, the FBI announced, 'This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, resulting in multiple fatalities and numerous injuries. The suspect then confronted local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is leading the investigation and collaborating with our partners to classify this as a terrorist act.'
(Agency)