New Orleans attack highlights: Driver expressed deadly intent before rampage, says Biden

New Orleans live: President Joe Biden stated on Wednesday evening that the FBI discovered videos posted by the driver on social media hours before the attack, in which he mentioned being inspired by the Islamic State group and expressed a desire to kill, Associated Press reported.

The violent rampage transformed festive Bourbon Street into a scene of horror, with injured victims, bloodied bodies, and pedestrians seeking refuge inside nightclubs and restaurants. In addition to the fatalities, many others were injured, and a college football playoff game at the nearby Superdome was postponed until Thursday.

New Orleans Live: Seven years ago, New Orleans officials started installing adjustable barriers at intersections in the iconic French Quarter to temporarily block vehicles from entering the popular tourist area, where narrow streets are usually crowded with pedestrians each night.

However, the steel bollards were being replaced and were not in place early on New Year's Day when a driver plowed a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers, resulting in at least 15 fatalities.

The replacement project for the bollards along about eight blocks of the busy Bourbon Street, from St. Ann Street to Canal Street, began on November 18, according to city records. Temporary asphalt patches were put in place where the steel columns had been removed.

New Orleans Live: An Army veteran driving a pickup truck adorned with an Islamic State flag caused chaos during New Orleans' New Year’s celebrations, killing 15 people. He bypassed a police blockade and rammed into crowds before being fatally shot by police.

The FBI is treating the incident, which occurred early Wednesday, as a terrorist attack and suspects the driver may have had accomplices. Authorities discovered firearms, a suspected improvised explosive device in the vehicle, and additional devices in the French Quarter.

The New Orleans coroner now says 15 people were killed when a driver deliberately struck people in the French Quarter early on New Year’s Day.

The coroner, Dr. Dwight McKenna, says it will take several days to conduct autopsies. Once those are done and relatives are notified, officials will release the victims' names, McKenna said in a statement, according to AP.

The New Year's Day attack in New Orleans targeted the French Quarter, one of the US city's most famous districts, visited by millions each year as a hub for music, culture and raucous nightlife.

Founded in 1718, the neighbourhood is also known as the Vieux Carre or "Old Quarter" and is the historic colonial centre of the city in the southern state of Louisiana. Read more.

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the 42-year-old Texas man accused of crashing a truck into New Year's Day revelers in New Orleans, killing and injuring dozens of people, was a US Army veteran who later worked in real estate, according to officials and public records.

A Louisiana State Police bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said that surveillance footage captured three men and a woman placing one of multiple improvised explosive devices.

Investigators have reviewed video showing three men and a woman placing an improvised explosive device in connection with the car attack that killed at least 10 people in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

That’s according to a Louisiana State Police bulletin obtained by The Associated Press.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was "horrified" by the deadly attack in New Orleans on a crowd celebrating the New Year and said his country stood by the American people.

"We trust that those responsible for this terrible act will be brought to justice," he wrote in a post on X.

New Orleans Live: New Orleans attacker drove onto sidewalk, around police car in French Quarter, 'defeating' protections, officials say, according to AP.

New Orleans Live: FBI doesn't believe New Orleans attacker was 'solely responsible,' asks public's help in tracking down associates, reports AP.

New Orleans Live: The FBI says it is still investigating the attacker, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a US citizen from Texas, to determine “potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations.”

FBI says that an Islamic State group flag was recovered from the vehicle used by the attacker who killed at least 10 in New Orleans, reports AP.

New Orleans Live: Law enforcement officials have reportedly identified the suspect in the New Orleans attack on New Year’s Day as 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar.

According to the preliminary identification reports, Jabbar was a 42-year-old American citizen. Born and raised in Texas, he formerly served in the US Army. Read more.

New Orleans Live: Local news website, NOLA.com, citing one unidentified law enforcement source, reports that the suspect was carrying an ISIS flag in the truck.

Meanwhile, NBC News, citing three unnamed senior law enforcement sources, identified the suspect as Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42.

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has reaffirmed his piority after the New Orleans attack.

“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 urge all to avoid the French Quarter as this is an active investigation,” Governor Landry said in an X post.

“We understand the concerns of the community and want to reassure everyone that the safety of the French Quarter and the city of New Orleans remains our top priority,” the post added.

The New Orleans Police Department has issued a statement, confirming the death of the alleged suspect.

“After the vehicle came to a stop, the suspect reportedly opened fire on responding officers, who returned fire. The victim was struck and subsequently declared deceased on scene. Further information on the suspect is not currently available for release,” the statement said about the attacker.

“Two NOPD officers were struck and injured in the exchange. Both were transported via EMS to a local hospital and were last listed in stable condition,” NOPD said about the injured officers.

“Investigation into this incident is ongoing. No further details are currently available. The next media briefing is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. CST to provide updates,” the statement added.

Law enforcement sources told CBS News that they are investigating whether or not the flag flown from the attacker's pickup truck is tied to ISIS or another foreign terror organization.

The suspect in the deadly attack in New Orleans has been named as Shamsud Din Jabbar, Guardian reported, quoting an unnamed senior law enforcement source.

A lot has happened since a driver rammed a white pickup truck into a crowd in New Orleans, Louisiana, and engaged the police in a gunfight, killing 10 people and injuring 35 early on New Year's Day. Read the top updates summurised here.

US President Joe Biden said that he is "grateful for the brave and swift response of local law enforcement in preventing even greater death and injury".

In a written statement, he added that he's directed his team to "ensure every resource is available" as officials work to get to the bottom of the situation and "to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind."

"My heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday. There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities," the statement said.

After releasing the statement, Biden, speaking to reporters, said that his reaction to the news was "one of anger and frustration".

The US President-elect Donald Trump, in a post on Truth Social, suggested the suspect, who has not yet been named, is not from the US , a claim which has not been confirmed by authorities.

“When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true. The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department.

"The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!”

US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the department is “working closely with our law enforcement partners in response to the situation in New Orleans.”

“This abhorrent attack is being investigated by the FBI as an act of terrorism,” he said in a statement. “Our hearts break for the families of those whose lives were lost and our prayers are with those recovering from injuries they suffered. We are grateful to the first responders for their bravery and urge the public to be vigilant,” he said in a statement.

Louisiana congressman Troy Carter, a Democrat who also sits on the House Homeland Security Committee, has said that he understands that the suspect in the mass killing in New Orleans acted alone.

The FBI is looking into any possible associates of the suspect in the deadly New Orleans crowd attack who may have been involved, a standard part of any investigation, law enforcement officials told CNN.

The FBI has said there is one suspect, who died at scene.

One of the officials told CNN that investigators believe the suspect emerged from the vehicle shooting, and was likely killed by police during an exchange of gunfire.

Investigators are also looking into possible connections the suspect may have had to Texas, the official said.

The FBI is sending resources to New Orleans, including evidence teams from Quantico, Virginia.