In the early hours of January 1, 2025, the U.S. city of New Orleans was struck by a devastating terror attack as crowds gathered to celebrate the New Year. A vehicle plowed into a crowd on the iconic Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, followed by gunfire, resulting in at least 10 fatalities and more than 35 injuries. The assailant, named as Shamsud Din Jabbar, who was later killed in a shootout with police, had also fired upon officers, injuring two. The FBI has taken over the investigation, confirming the presence of at least one suspected improvised explosive device at the scene, classifying the incident as an act of terrorism.
The terrorist attack in New Orleans involved a vehicle driven into a crowd at high speed on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. The incident occurred around 3:15 a.m. on January 1, 2025, shortly after New Year’s celebrations had begun to wind down and just hours before the scheduled Sugar Bowl college football game at the nearby Caesars Superdome. The attack resulted in at least 10 people killed and more than 30 injured, with the driver also engaging in gunfire with police, injuring two officers before being shot dead by law enforcement.
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the incident as a “terrorist attack,” while initial statements by the FBI indicated it was not classified as a terrorist event, though later confirmations stated it was being investigated as an act of terrorism. The FBI is leading the investigation, with reports of improvised explosive devices found at the scene under scrutiny.
The response from authorities was swift, with emergency services attending to the casualties, and a significant police presence was established to secure the area. The attack led to the closure of several blocks around Bourbon Street, with residents and visitors urged to avoid the area. The Sugar Bowl was confirmed to proceed as scheduled, though with heightened security measures.
