Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the suspect who drove a vehicle into a New Year’s crowd in Louisiana, killing 15 people, was once a U.S. Army servicemember before exhibiting signs of radicalization and violence.

In the early hours of January 1, a pickup truck bypassed police barricades and sped into a crowd celebrating New Year’s Eve on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. After causing at least 15 fatalities and injuring over 30 people, the suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, exited the vehicle and engaged in a gunfight with police before being fatally shot.

Authorities stated that Jabbar intended to "kill as many people as possible" in what they described as a terrorist attack. Details about the suspect soon emerged, revealing a complex past and a path toward radicalization.

Jabbar, 42, was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas. His early life included two criminal convictions: theft in 2002 and using an invalid driver’s license in 2005.

In 2004, Jabbar applied to join the U.S. Navy but did not proceed to training or deployment. Two years later, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving as an IT and human resources specialist. He was deployed to Afghanistan between 2009 and 2010. In 2012, Jabbar divorced his first wife, with whom he had two daughters, now aged 14 and 20.

Court records indicate a man matching Jabbar’s description was arrested in November 2014 for drunk driving on a North Carolina military base. He received a one-year probation sentence and a $210 fine before being honorably discharged from the Army and moving to Georgia.

After leaving active duty, Jabbar continued as an Army Reserve IT specialist from 2015 to 2020. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on computer information systems from Georgia State University in 2017. That same year, he remarried a woman in Texas. Jabbar obtained a Texas real estate license in 2019 and participated in various financial and real estate courses.

In a 2020 YouTube video, Jabbar introduced himself as the owner of Blue Meadow Properties, a real estate brokerage, emphasizing discipline and service. He left the Army Reserve in July 2020 with the rank of staff sergeant after 13 years of service. Around the same time, he filed for divorce from his second wife, citing irreconcilable differences. The couple briefly reconciled but divorced in 2022 after prolonged disputes, including allegations of uncommunicative behavior and temporary restraining orders.

Jabbar faced significant financial struggles, as revealed in a 2022 email to his ex-wife’s attorney. He described overdue mortgage payments exceeding $27,000 and losses in his real estate business. These challenges persisted despite his employment at Deloitte, a leading accounting firm, with an annual salary of $120,000.

Neighbors in Houston, Texas, where Jabbar lived after his divorce, described him as reclusive. During this period, he became increasingly isolated and radicalized. The FBI stated Jabbar frequently referenced the Quran in his posts and may have been influenced by the ideology of the Islamic State (IS). His ex-wife's husband mentioned Jabbar's conversion to Islam.

A senior law enforcement official suggested Jabbar’s radicalization could have been exacerbated by escalating Israel-Hamas conflicts in Gaza. In late 2024, Jabbar rented a pickup truck via Turo and drove from Texas to New Orleans on New Year’s Eve. He recorded a video during the trip, initially expressing plans to harm his family before deciding to align himself with IS.

After plowing into the crowd, Jabbar was found with IS flags and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) in his vehicle. Additional IEDs were discovered nearby. The FBI is investigating potential links between Jabbar and terrorist organizations but does not believe he acted alone.

Speaking to U.S. media, Jabbar's cousin expressed disbelief over his actions. "This is absurd. Jabbar was the kindest person I knew. I genuinely have no idea what happened," she said.

(Sources: CNN, Washington Post, ABC News, NBC News)

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