FBI says New Orleans attack suspect visited city twice to conduct surveillance: NPR

The FBI revealed that the man who allegedly carried out the New Year’s Eve attack in New Orleans had recently visited the city twice and used “smart glasses” to record video of the area he he then targeted.

At a news conference Sunday, Lyonel Myrthil, the FBI special agent in charge of the New Orleans field office, said Shamsud-Din Jabbar visited New Orleans just weeks before the The attack which killed 14 people and injured many others.

One trip took place in October, while the other took place in November. Myrthil also said Jabbar rode through the city’s French Quarter on a bicycle wearing smart glasses made by Ray-Ban that were capable of recording video and connected to a user’s Facebook account.

Myrthil also said that Jabbar traveled to Cairo, Egypt, in 2023 and Ontario, Canada, in the summer of 2024, although it is unclear whether these trips were related to the attack. Jabbar was a former U.S. Army soldier who was inspired by ISIS, according to investigators.

The FBI said it was investigating leads in Houston, where Jabbar lived, as well as Tampa, Florida.

“Our agents are getting answers about where he went, who he went with and how those trips may or may not be related to his actions here,” Myrthil said.

Sunday’s press conference offered a more detailed timeline of Jabbar’s actions in the moments leading up to the attack, when he allegedly drove a truck into a crowd celebrating New Year’s Eve on New Orleans’ famous Bourbon Street .

FBI agents showed video of Jabbar planting improvised bombs before the attack. Jabbar’s rental truck contained a transmitter that was supposed to trigger the devices, according to investigators, but they did not detonate. Two of the bombs were left in coolers, one of which was allegedly dragged around by unsuspecting revelers on New Year’s Eve.

After his truck crashed at the end of the attack, Jabbar got out of the vehicle and fired at police, wounding at least two officers, before being shot dead.

The FBI said it recovered two semi-automatic weapons that Jabbar had with him in the truck: a 9 mm pistol and a .308 caliber rifle. The rifle was equipped with a “privately manufactured silencer,” which was purchased during from a private sale in Texas, investigators said.

While leaving the house where he was staying before the attack, Jabbar also started a small fire in a hallway, but the flames were extinguished before firefighters arrived, the FBI said.

The FBI continues to believe that Jabbar carried out the attack himself.

“All the details of the investigation and the evidence we have still support that Jabbar acted alone here in New Orleans,” said FBI Deputy Director Christopher Raia. “We have not seen any indication of an accomplice in the United States, but we are still looking for potential associates in the United States and outside our borders.”

Officials said they still don’t know what the motive was for the attack or why he chose New Orleans.

Also at the news conference, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said the city is working to improve security, bringing in a tactical expert to assess security throughout the region. Mardi Gras parades begin Monday and the city hosts the Super Bowl next month. Police have used several vehicles and barricades to block traffic on Bourbon and Canal streets since the attack.

Cantrell also spoke about preparations for President Biden’s visit, who plans to travel to New Orleans on Monday with first lady Jill Biden to mourn with the victims’ families.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry also spoke at the start of the press conference, saying the innocent lives lost will never be forgotten. Landry declared a period of mourning for the victims, starting Monday, with a different victim to be commemorated each day.

On Saturday, the last of the 14 victims of the attack were identified: LaTasha Polk, a nursing assistant in her forties, and a Briton, Edward Pettifer. Pettifer was the stepson of a former royal family nanny, leading Prince William, son of King Charles, to express shock and sadness at the death.

The coroner’s office said all victims died from blunt force injuries. Most of the victims were in their 20s, with the youngest 18 and the oldest 63. About 30 people were injured and 16 were still hospitalized Friday.

Later Saturday night, New Orleans residents held a vigil on Bourbon Street, tearfully carrying memorial crosses and photos of the victims.