The suspect behind the fatal Bourbon Street incident on New Year's Day, which tragically claimed the lives of 15 people and left over 30 injured, has been identified as Shamsud-Din Bahar Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen originally from Texas. Officials reported the assailant, who was killed in a subsequent shootout with law enforcement, as a former student at Georgia State University, earning a degree in Computer Information Systems, as confirmed by FOX 5 Atlanta.
Having served in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve for more than a decade and deployed to Afghanistan, Jabbar had ties extending to Georgia, where he once resided in Cobb and DeKalb counties. According to records from the U.S. Army, in which he was a staff sergeant by the end of his service, Jabbar's specialties included human resources and information technology. In a statement obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, this detailed his professional background.
Further digging into his past reveals that Jabbar had marital ties in Georgia, having filed for divorce from a woman in Cobb County on May 19, 2016. While he was also previously married and divorced in Texas, attempts to reach his former wife in Georgia by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution were unsuccessful. Neighbors from the Clarkston address associated with Jabbar were unable to place him, but those residing near the former Horseshoe Creek Drive property in Marietta recalled him as the landlord who was keen on renovations, as told to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Jeff and Amanda Rigen.
The attack, characterized by authorities as a terrorist act, saw Jabbar utilize a rented Ford pickup truck to plow through a crowd celebrating the new year. A flag from the Islamic State group was discovered in the vehicle, heightening concerns about possible connections to terrorist organizations. This has led officials to suspect Jabbar may not have acted alone, pursuing leads on known associates and urging the public to assist with any relevant information. According to FOX 5 Atlanta, the New Orleans police are working closely with the FBI and have requested that anyone with information about potential accomplices or the incident itself contact the FBI's New Orleans Bureau. Investigations continue as questions about Jabbar's motivations and networks remain at the forefront of this tragic event.
