Why is it believed that the author of the mass car accident in New Orleans is not the only one responsible?

The death toll from the mass car accident at dawn on New Year’s Eve in New Orleans (United States), considered a terrorist attack by the authorities, rose this Wednesday from 10 to 15. The New Orleans Coroner’s Office reported in a statement that “for now, 15 people have died.” About 30 people were injured in the attack.

Who is responsible?

Authorities have identified Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, 42, an American national, as the perpetrator of the attack that occurred shortly after 03:15 local time (09:15 GMT). Jabbar died during the attack.

Also read: Mass hit-and-run in New Orleans: suspect is dead, according to authorities, who was he?

Jabbar used a rented white Ford F-150 truck for the mass attack on the central Bourbon Street, the tourist heart of the city and closed to traffic during New Year’s celebrations. In the vehicle, authorities located an Islamic State (IS) flag, weapons and a possible improvised explosive device.

In addition, the FBI found other homemade explosive devices in the central neighborhood where the attack took place and is working to identify and find possible accomplices of Jabbar.

Isn’t he the only one responsible?

The FBI said this Wednesday in a press conference that it does not believe that Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar is the only one responsible and asked for public help to obtain more information. “We need citizen help,” said Special Agent Althea Duncan at a press conference, in which she asked that if anyone has had a relationship with Jabbar or anyone related to the tragic event in the last 72 hours, contact the FBI.

“We ask anyone with information, videos or photographs to provide them to the FBI,” Duncan reiterated.

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The FBI is working to determine the subject’s possible associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations. “I know you will all have questions and we will try to provide some answers, but this is an ongoing investigation that is evolving rapidly, so there are some questions that I will not be able to answer at this time,” Duncan told reporters.

The tragic accident occurred on Bourbon Street, in the so-called French Quarter, early this Wednesday, and at least 35 other people were injured, some seriously, according to authorities.

From the truck, Jabbar drove into the crowd gathered on Bourbon Street to celebrate the new year at high speed, then got out and began firing a gun, with police returning fire. At least two officers were injured, but their condition is stable.

The Bourbon Street entrance has security bollards that can be retracted and raised, but at the time of the accident they were disabled due to construction in the area and there were patrols and fences protecting the place.

The multiple accident also joins others that have occurred in the world in the last 10 years, most with a similar number of deaths. The most recent on December 20, 2024, when at least five people died, including a child, and 200 more were injured after a multiple attack perpetrated by a Saudi doctor, critical of Islam, against a Christmas market in Magdeburg.

Also read: A man ended the lives of his mother and four sisters in India: he confessed to the crimes

Biden and Trump offer their condolences

The president of the United States, Joe Biden, told the press that he felt “anger and frustration” when he was informed about the mass car accident in the heart of New Orleans.

At the same time, Biden said in a statement that his “heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate” the beginning of the year.

For his part, the president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, attributed the attack to a foreigner, indirectly and without providing evidence, before offering his condolences to the victims and offering the support of his Administration, which will take power on the 20th. of January.