In New Orleans, Shamsuddin Jabbar launched a devastating attack during New Year’s celebrations, using a pickup truck to kill 15 people and injure over 30, several of whom are in critical condition.
Jabbar, a former U.S. Army soldier who served in Afghanistan, was described by his childhood friend Triss Poson as “quiet and intelligent.” Despite this, his motivations for carrying out such a large-scale attack remain puzzling.
According to CNN, Jabbar recorded and shared five videos on Facebook before the attack. In one, he discussed his divorce and revealed his original plan to host a family event where he would kill his relatives. He also expressed aspirations to join the militant group ISIS.
Later, Jabbar shifted his plan, aiming to frame the attack as a symbolic “battle between believers and non-believers.” He decided to target New Year’s celebrations instead. In one video, he claimed to have joined ISIS earlier that summer.
Jabbar, who previously worked in the U.S. Army’s IT department, was killed in a shootout with police following the attack. Authorities found an ISIS flag in the truck he used.
His brother, Abdur Jabbar, and father, Rahim Jabbar, shared that Shamsuddin was born and raised in Texas. He enlisted in the Army in 2007 and served until 2020. Abdur described him as calm and rarely angry, making it difficult for the family to comprehend his actions. They also stated that they had never noticed any signs of his affiliation with ISIS.