The terror attack in New Orleans that left at least 10 dead is reaching the four corners of the globe. The cover photo for this article is a screenshot of French news organization, BFM. It is not surprising how our country gets a little bit smaller, and our broader community grows a little bit bigger in moments such as these. Here are the communiques related to this morning’s attack:
NOTE: As of midnight, January 1, 2025, it has been reported that the death toll has risen to “at least 15.
New Year’s Morning Wake Up Call
At 5:55 AM, the City of New Orleans posted the following Alert:
Mass Casualty Incident on Canal and Bourbon Street Updates
The 8th District is currently working a mass casualty incident involving a vehicle that drove into a large crowd on Canal and Bourbon Street at approximately 3:15 AM.
This is an active scene. Stay off of Bourbon from Canal to Dumaine and from Royal to Dauphine.
There are 10 fatalities. There are 30 injured that have been transported to the following hospitals:
- University Medical Center
- Touro Hospital
- East Jefferson General Hospital
- Ochsner Medical Center Jefferson Campus
- Ochsner Baptist Campus
One NOPD officer is reported injured.
NOEMS will continue to operate responding to 911 calls with additional units staged in the downtown area. We are asking that residents and visitors please call 911 for emergencies only.
Updates will follow as they are received.
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland Statement on New Orleans Attack
The Justice Department issued the following statement from Attorney General Merrick B. Garland following the attack in New Orleans:
“The country woke up this morning to news of a terrible tragedy in New Orleans that killed at least 10 people and injured many more.
My heart is broken for those who began their year by learning people they love were killed in this horrific attack, and my prayers are with the dozens who were injured, including the New Orleans Police Department Officers who risked their lives to save others.
The FBI is investigating this matter as an act of terrorism. The FBI, the ATF, the Justice Department’s National Security Division, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana will continue to work with our law enforcement partners and will deploy every available resource to conduct this investigation.”
Updated January 1, 2025
FBI Statement on the Attack in New Orleans
January 1, 2025
FBI
Today, at approximately 3:15 a.m. CST, an individual drove a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing at least 10 and injuring dozens of others. After hitting the crowd, he exited the vehicle and fired upon local law enforcement. Law enforcement returned fire, and the subject was pronounced deceased at the scene. Two law enforcement officers were injured and transported to a local hospital.
The subject has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas. He was driving a Ford pickup truck, which appears to have been rented, and we are working to confirm how the subject came into possession of the vehicle.
An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations.
Weapons and a potential IED were located in the subject’s vehicle. Other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter. The FBI’s special agent bomb technicians are working with our law enforcement partners to determine if any of these devices are viable, and they will work to render those devices safe.
The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism. We are aggressively running down all leads to identify any possible associates of the subject.
The FBI has set up a digital tip line, and we ask anyone with information or video of the incident to submit them to www.fbi.gov/bourbonstreetattack or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Doña Ana County Sheriff reaches out over Facebook to Orleans Parish Sister
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “approximately 73,000 women serve as law enforcement officers today–11.6% of the total.” While this may seem like a rather exclusive group, it is a thousand times more likely for a woman to be in law enforcement in general than it is for a woman to embody a region’s top elected law enforcement officer. The National Sheriff’s Association celebrated Women’s History Month this past March, and stated: “There are less than 60 women sheriffs currently serving across the country. Less than 2% of America’s sheriffs are women.”
Two members of this very exclusive group happen to be our very own Sheriff Kim Steward (Doña Ana County Sheriff), and Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson.
On behalf of DASO and our county, I offered our collective support to my friend and colleague, Sheriff Susan Hutson, of Orleans Parish, reference the tragic events of early this morning in New Orleans.
Though it may seem surprising to some that DASO’s reach extends that far, know that many of the 50 or so women Sheriffs in the US have some measure of consistent contact with one another.
May 2025 bring happier days to us all. Be safe and be well.
Sugar Bowl Postponed
OFFICIAL SUGAR BOWL STATEMENT
By Jeff Hundley, Chief Executive Officer
“The Sugar Bowl Committee is devastated by the terrible events from early this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. We are in ongoing discussions with authorities on the local, state, and federal levels and will communicate further details as they become available.”
Las Cruces Digest is not affiliated with any national or international news reporting organization. As such, we are able to provide information that is readily available. This report should not be considered complete or comprehensive.
