New Orleans Attack Suspect Served in the Military: What We Know

Shamsud-Din Jabbar in a file picture obtained from social media, released in November 2013, in Fort Johnson (formerly Fort Polk) in Louisiana. 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division via Facebook via Reuters

Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the man who officials say rammed a truck into a crowd in New Orleans on New Year’s Day, served in the U.S. military, according to military officials.

Jabbar, 42, was identified as the suspect in the attack, which left 15 dead.

Born in the United States, Jabbar enlisted in the Navy in August 2004 under a delayed entry program but was discharged a month later, a Navy official said. He later joined the U.S. Army.

Jabbar deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, according to an Army official. He was a human resource specialist and information technology specialist from 2007 until 2015.

A photograph released in 2013 by the Army showed Jabbar working from a computer in Fort Johnson, which was known at the time as Fort Polk, in Louisiana.

Jabbar then joined the Army Reserve as an information technology specialist until 2020, holding the rank of staff sergeant at the end of service, according to the Army official.

“He served in the United States Army on active duty for many years; he also served in the Army reserve until a few years ago,” President Joe Biden said in remarks to the nation hours after the attack.

FBI officials say that Jabbar posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by the terrorist group ISIS and that an ISIS flag was found in the rented truck that Jabbar used to allegedly carry out the attack.

The vehicle plowed through the crowd at around 3:15 a.m. local time, according to law enforcement officials. Explosives, which did not detonate, were found in and near the truck.

After the vehicle crashed, Jabbar traded shots with police officers. He was killed in the firefight. Two officers were struck but survived and were described as being in stable condition.

In addition to the 15 people left dead, dozens of others were taken to hospitals with injuries.

Businesses

Corporate records show that Jabbar got involved in a series of businesses in recent years.

In a promotional video for a real estate business posted to YouTube in 2020, a man with the same name as the suspect said his time in the military had taught him the importance of great service and taking everything seriously.

“I’ve taken those skills and applied them to my career as a real estate agent, where I feel like what really sets me apart from other agents is my ability to be able to, one, be a fierce negotiator,” he said, encouraging clients to give him a call.

In the video, the man introduced himself as a manager at Blue Meadow Properties LLC, a Texas-based company whose license expired in 2022. He was registered as a real estate sales agent for four years through February 2023, records show. He said he was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas.

A call to the number provided by Jabbar in the video did not reach anyone. Attempts to contact Jabbar’s relatives were also unsuccessful.

Court records show Jabbar was divorced in 2022, separating from his wife of five years. The couple had one child. He does not appear to have had a violent criminal record.

According to Texas records, Jabbar was charged with a misdemeanor in 2002 for a property theft and arrested in 2005 for driving with an invalid license

Reuters contributed to this report.