Who was Shamsud Din Jabbar? New Orleans New Year attack suspect named after 10 left dead, dozens injured

The now-deceased suspect involved in the New Orleans bloodbath on New Year's Day has been named in the preliminary ID reports.

Law enforcement officials have identified the suspect in the New Orleans attack on New Year’s Day. The preliminary details, as revealed by the FBI, have named Shamsud Din Jabbar responsible for killing 10 people and injuring dozens of others. Officials previously established that the 42-year-old man was “hellbent” on killing as many people as possible.

The suspect was identified as US-born Shamsud Din Jabbar. (Photo credit: obtained by the New York Post / AP)

The FBI is investigating the horrific incident as an act of terror, instead of a DUI, after the suspect driving a pick-up truck plowed his vehicle through a crowd of people celebrating the incoming New Year on Bourbon Street in New Orleans at 3:15 am. 10 people were killed in the aftermath. Meanwhile, dozens of others were left injured, as per early Wednesday reports.

Authorities have since also found at least one explosive device in the area.

New Orleans attack: Who was 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, per The US Sun. Like many others he allegedly killed in the New Year’s Day horror slaughter, the suspect was shot down in a firefight with police, but not before he opened fire, resulting in two officers being wounded during the attack.

Eyewitnesses claimed to have seen Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar walking out of the truck, which he crashed into revellers wearing full body armour. He is also believed to have been in possession of an assault rifle.

NOLA.com reported that a black ISIS flag was found on the back of the truck he was driving, further fuelling doubts about the incident's terror links. Details of the New Orleans attack suspect’s background and other information are still being probed into.

Officials break silence

Police superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said of the man responsible for the bloodbath that he was driving his pick-up truck “at a very fast pace,” and “trying to run over as many people as he possibly could.” The carnage broke out despite over 300 officers being present on Bourbon Street, a worldwide renowned destination that takes pride in its New Year’s Eve bashes.

Meanwhile, the FBI said in a statement, “This morning, an individual drove a car into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing a number of people and injuring dozens of others. The subject then engaged with local law enforcement and is now deceased. The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism.”

New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell similarly described the incident as a “terrorist attack.”