On Thursday evening, details of the identity of the attacker in New Orleans (USA) were now clarified: the man who drove a pick-up truck into a party area and killed ten people was 42-year-old American citizen Shamsud-Din Jabbar. He came from Texas and worked there as a real estate agent. Apparently he was a soldier in the US Army, where he served as an IT specialist for ten years.
In a video posted to YouTube four years ago offering his brokerage services, Jabbar touted himself as a “tough negotiator.”
Criminal records published by The New York Times (NYT) show that he was charged twice with crimes: in 2002 for theft and in 2005 for driving without a valid driver’s license.
According to the newspaper, Jabbar has been married twice, with his second marriage ending in divorce in 2022.
Debts after divorce
During the divorce proceedings, he described his financial problems in an email to his wife’s lawyer. “I can’t afford the house payments,” he wrote, according to the NYT. His real estate company had suffered a loss of more than $28,000 the year before. He also has thousands of dollars in credit card debt due to legal fees.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Jabbar has a degree from Georgia State University. In the YouTube video, which AFP saw but later removed from the platform, Jabbar said he had served in the US military for 10 years as an IT specialist. Through this experience, he developed an understanding of good service and attention to everything “to make sure everything runs smoothly.”
In any case, the US Federal Police have now confirmed that Jabbar was an American soldier and was apparently honorably discharged.
At least ten people were killed and more than 35 others were injured in the attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve. The perpetrator drove his pickup into a partying crowd in the French Quarter.
“Determined to cause a massacre”
Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said the man was “trying to run over as many people as possible.” He was “determined” to cause a “carnage” and drove the vehicle into the crowd at “very high speed” and apparently “very deliberately”.
Investigators found a flag of the Islamic State jihadist militia in his car. Detectives speak of a “terrorist act” and assume that the perpetrator did not act alone.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
