The man responsible for the truck attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day that killed 14 people visited the city twice before and recorded video of the French Quarter with Meta smart glasses, an FBI official says.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar also travelled to Cairo and Canada before the attack although it was not yet clear whether those trips were connected to the attack, Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia told a news conference on Sunday.
Federal officials believe Jabbar, a US citizen and former US Army soldier, was inspired by the Islamic State militant group to carry out the attack.
Police fatally shot Jabbar, 42, during a firefight at the scene of the deadly crash of the rented pickup truck on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans’ historic French Quarter.
Federal investigators so far believe Jabbar acted alone, but are continuing to explore his contacts.
“All investigative details and evidence that we have now still support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans,” said Raia.
“We have not seen any indications of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking into potential associates in the US and outside of our borders."
Lyonel Myrthil, FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans Field Office, said Jabbar travelled to Cairo in 2023 and then to the Canadian province of Ontario a few days later.
“Our agents are getting answers to where he went, who he met with and how those trips may or may not tie into his actions here,” Myrthil said.
Jabbar had also travelled to New Orleans twice in the months preceding the attack, first in October and again in November.
On October 31, Myrthil said Jabbar used glasses from Meta, the parent company of Facebook, to record video as he rode through the French Quarter on a bicycle as "he plotted this hideous attack". He said Jabbar was also in New Orleans on November 10.
He also wore the glasses capable of livestreaming during the attack, but Myrthil said Jabbar did not activate them.
The FBI released Jabbar's recorded video from the planning trip to New Orleans as well as video showing him placing two containers with explosive devices in the French Quarter at around 2am shortly before the attack.
One of the containers, a cooler, was moved a block away by someone uninvolved with the attack, officials said.
Police have used vehicles and barricades to block traffic at Bourbon and Canal streets since. Other law enforcement agencies helped city officers provide extra security, said Reese Harper, a New Orleans police spokesperson.
The first parade of the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras in March is scheduled for Monday evening. New Orleans also will host the Super Bowl on February 9.
In a previous effort to protect the French Quarter, the city installed steel columns known as bollards to restrict vehicle access to Bourbon Street.
The posts normally retract to allow deliveries to bars and restaurants. But they stopped working reliably after being gummed up by Mardi Gras beads, beer and other detritus.
When New Year’s Eve arrived, the bollards were gone. New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell acknowledged the city remains uncertain as to whether the new bollards it is installing in the French Quarter would be able to stop a similar vehicle attack.
