Who was Shamsud-Din Jabbar? Here's what we know about US Army veteran accused in New Orleans attack

The suspect in the New Orleans New Year’s attack that left around 15 people dead and dozens injured has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old US citizen from Texas. The FBI reported that Jabbar, a former real estate agent and military veteran, had a history of financial struggles and personal challenges.

Jabbar served in the US Army from 2007 to 2015, including a deployment to Afghanistan, and continued in the Army Reserve until 2020. He held the rank of Staff Sergeant at the time of his honourable discharge, according to military records.

Authorities revealed that Jabbar’s personal life was troubled. He divorced in 2022, citing severe financial difficulties. His real estate business reportedly lost significant money, and he was burdened with debt. His brother described him as a caring person, but expressed that Jabbar’s actions were “not representative of Islam” and pointed to potential radicalisation.

US President Joe Biden stated that Jabbar had shared videos online hours before the attack, appearing to be inspired by the Islamic State group. The FBI confirmed finding a black flag associated with the group in the vehicle used in the attack.

Jabbar allegedly drove a truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers at high speed before crashing and engaging in a shootout with police, where he was killed.

Jabbar graduated from Georgia State University in 2017 with a degree in computer systems. In a YouTube video, he spoke proudly of his military service.