Some 35 people were injured as Wednesday's attack turned festive Bourbon Street into macabre mayhem and led to a one-day postponement of a college football playoff game that drew tens of thousands of fans to the city.
Police identified the suspect as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a US citizen from Texas. Officials said the death toll could rise as some of those injured were in critical condition.
Witnesses say a white pick-up truck slammed through a barricade at high speed and hit pedestrians. (AP PHOTO)
The FBI said police found weapons and a potential explosive device in the vehicle and that two potential explosive devices were found in the French Quarter and rendered safe.
An ISIS flag was attached to the trailer hitch of the rented vehicle, prompting an investigation into possible links to terrorist organisations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation said in a statement.
"We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible. We are aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associates," FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Alethea Duncan told reporters, adding that investigators were looking into a "range of suspects."
US President Joe Biden condemned what he called a "despicable" act and said investigators were looking into whether there might be a link to a Tesla truck fire outside a Trump hotel in Las Vegas. So far, there was no evidence linking the two events, Biden said.
"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 the desire to kill," Biden said of the New Orleans suspect.
US President Joe Biden condemned the attacking, branding it "despicable". (AP PHOTO)
CNN, citing officials briefed on the investigation, said the suspect recorded videos in which he mentioned dreams about joining ISIS.
Officials told CNN the suspect, obscured by darkness in the videos, spoke about his divorce and plans to gather his family for a "celebration" with the intent of killing them. He later changed his plans and said that he joined ISIS, CNN said.
Public records showed Jabbar worked in real estate in Houston. In a promotional video posted four years ago, Jabbar described himself as born and reared in Beaumont, a city 130km east of Houston, and said he spent 10 years in the US military as a human resources and IT specialist.
Jabbar was in the regular Army from March 2007 until January 2015 and then in the Army Reserve from January 2015 until July 2020, an Army spokesperson said. He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010 and held the rank of staff sergeant at the end of service.
About 400 officers were on duty in the French Quarter at the time of the incident, including a number who had established a makeshift barrier to prevent anyone from driving into the pedestrian zone, police said.
Superintendent of Police for the New Orleans Anne Kirkpatrick described the incident as evil. (AP PHOTO)
"This is not just an act of terrorism. This is evil," New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said.
"This man was trying to run over as many people as he could. He was hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did."
Kirkpatrick said the driver, who swerved around barricades, shot and wounded two police officers from the vehicle after it crashed.
The officers were in stable condition, she added.
Police police swept parts of New Oreleans looking for possible explosive devices. (AP PHOTO)
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell called the incident a terrorist attack.
"This is a fluid situation and we are in co-ordination with numerous local and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure a complete and thorough investigation to bring those who may have been part of this incident to justice," Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry said on X.
This is a fluid situation and we are in coordination with numerous local and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure a complete and thorough investigation to bring those who may have been part of this incident to justice. We recognize that there are tourists around us, and we…— Governor Jeff Landry (@LAGovJeffLandry) January 1, 2025
A couple told CBS News they heard crashing noises coming from down the street and then saw a white truck slam through a barricade "at a high rate of speed".
President-elect Donald Trump said his incoming administration would help New Orleans as it investigates and recovers from what he called an act of pure evil.
with Reuters and EFE
