The FBI is examining trips to Egypt and Canada made by Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the suspect behind the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans that left 14 dead and dozens injured. The 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran, who had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State, carried out the attack by driving a truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street. He was later killed in a police shootout.
Special Agent Lyonel Myrthil, leading the FBI’s New Orleans field office, confirmed Jabbar’s international travels during a press briefing. Jabbar visited Cairo, Egypt, from June 22 to July 3, 2023, and later flew to Ontario, Canada, on July 10, returning to the U.S. on July 13.
“Our agents are investigating these trips to determine who he met, where he went, and whether they influenced his actions in New Orleans,” Myrthil stated.
The FBI also revealed that Jabbar had visited New Orleans twice in the months before the attack—once in October and again in November—staying in a rental home during both trips. Surveillance videos show him using Meta’s augmented reality glasses to record footage in the French Quarter, the site of the attack.
The victims of the tragedy, identified by the New Orleans coroner’s office, ranged in age from 18 to 63, with most in their 20s. The FBI has classified the incident as an act of terrorism.
