The investigation into the tragic Bourbon Street attack has unearthed new details following the completion of an inspection conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives at the New Orleans fire scene. The ATF National Response Team concluded their on-site work at 1329 Mandeville St., where it has been determined that the suspect, identified as Jabbar, was present alone before initiating the attack shortly after leaving at 12:15am, according to FBI.
Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson provided a chilling breakdown of how Jabbar meticulously set up the fire, using an open flame, to systematically destroy any incriminating evidence that could tie him back to his crimes. Jackson stated, "Jabbar placed accelerants in the other rooms of the residence which we believe was intentional so that the entire residence would burn down in an attempt to destroy evidence of his crimes." However, the fire failed to spread as intended, self-extinguishing after consuming all available oxygen and fuel within a sealed portion of the home, as tstated by the FBI.
In the investigation's aftermath, the ATF has been able quickly to trace back the weaponry used by Jabbar in the attack. An individual from Arlington, Texas, whom Jabbar met once for the purpose to purchase a semiautomatic rifle on November 19, 2024, has been interviewed. According to the ATF's statement, the firearm's prior owner had no foreknowledge of Jabbar's intentions or his evident radicalization.
Moreover, Jabbar's lack of experience was highlighted by his use of a mismatched detonation approach. "The IED in of itself is not unique. The abnormality is that Jabbar used an explosive material that is set off by a detonator," Jackson explained. Despite this, detonators, being less accessible to the public, pushed Jabbar to to instead use an electric match to initiate the explosion – an indicator of his crudeness and unfamiliarity with the explosive devices he assembled, as mentioned by the FBI.
Further complicating the case is the discovery of r-salt explosive material at Jabbar's residence – a substance not commonly found in the U.S. The FBI has since found and tested explosive materials also present in the home, determined to be RDX, a more familiar material within the country. The findings from the site and laboratory conclusions are expected to provide deeper insights into the nature of the attack and the materials utilized in the improvised explosive devic.
