Summary

Media caption,

People run to escape New Orleans truck attack

  1. Today we're going to enjoy ourselves, says governorpublished at 16:54 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry now returns to the podium, talking about how the city will re-open.

    "Today, we're going to have us a Sugar Bowl," he says, "we're going to enjoy ourselves".

    "We're going to keep those who lost loved ones in mind," he adds.

  2. Officials planning to reopen Bourbon Street half an hour before Sugar Bowlpublished at 16:49 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Cantrell says Bourbon Street will be reopened to the public before the Sugar Bowl begins later today.

    "Not only ready for game day today, but we're ready to host large-scale events in our city," Cantrell says, alluding to the Super Bowl the city is set to host in February.

    Officials are trying to reopen the street at 14:30 local time ahead of the expected 15:00 start time for the football game.

    New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell stands behind a podium with several microphones. She is surrounded by several people and wears a black jacket.Image source, US POOL
  3. Bourbon Street now cleared of victims, says mayorpublished at 16:47 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell is up next, and says her prayers go out to the victim's families, and adds that "the city of New Orleans, we are resilient".

    She says Bourbon Street - where the attack took place - has now been cleared by the FBI, which means that victims have been removed and identified and their families notified.

    The street is due to reopen today.

  4. Specialist explosives officers in New Orleans for Sugar Bowlpublished at 16:45 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Joshua Jackson, special agent in charge of the New Orleans Field Division is next to speak.

    He says that the alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives special response team is in the city to assist with security for the Sugar Bowl, a college football game taking place later today.

    He adds that extra explosive detection K9 units - trained dogs and their handlers who use their skill to detect explosives - will be deployed to carry out safety sweeps of the city and the Sugar Bowl game.

    Joshua Jacson speaks behind a podium with several microphones. He is wearing a suit with a blue shirt surrounded by several people.Image source, US POOL
  5. No 'definitive link' between New Orleans and Las Vegas incidents at this stage, FBI director sayspublished at 16:41 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Raia now talks about the FBI investigation into the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.

    He says they are following "all potential leads" but at this point "there's no definitive link" between the two attacks.

    Raia re-emphasises a point he made earlier which is that it is "very early" in the investigations.

  6. FBI wants to talk to people near cooler where explosives were foundpublished at 16:40 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Raia continues that officials want anyone who knows Jabbar or anyone in the area during the attack to speak to the FBI.

    They're specifically looking to speak to people who might have been near the cooler where the IED was found.

    Officials believe many people stopped and looked at that cooler and could have helpful information.

  7. Explosive devices were found in coolers, Raia sayspublished at 16:39 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Raia reminds us that a flag for the Islamic State group was found on the truck used by Jabbar.

    FBI bomb technicians also found two IEDs (improvised explosive device) in coolers, he says.

    One was found at the cross-section of Bourbon and Orleans streets, and a second two blocks away. There were multiple reports of other devices, however these were not functional IEDs, Raia says.

    There is surveillance footage of the suspect placing the two IEDs where they were later found by law enforcement, he adds.

    Christopher Raia speaks behind a podium with several microphones, wearing a suit, surrounded by others including law enforcement and the New Orleans mayor.Image source, US POOL
  8. Authorities searching a nearby propertypublished at 16:37 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Raia says authorities are searching a property about 3.5 miles (5.6km) north of Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

    He says authorities have "secured that house and that location is being searched for potential evidence".

    Raia says three phones connected to Jabbar have been recovered. Two laptops were also found at the address. They are all being reviewed at the moment.

  9. Jabbar spoke of 'war between the believers and disbelievers'published at 16:36 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Investigators believe Jabbar picked up the vehicle he used in the attack on 30 December in Houston and drove to New Orleans, Raia says.

    During that drive, he posted a handful of videos online.

    In the first video, Jabbar said he originally intended to harm his family but said that wouldn't have illustrated the "war between the believers and the disbelievers".

    In the videos he also proclaimed his allegiance to the Islamic State group.

    Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI's counter-terrorism division, stands behind a podium with multiple microphones wearing a suit. He is surrounded by several people including law enforcementImage source, US POOL
  10. Law enforcement reviewing hundreds of hours of surveillance footagepublished at 16:35 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Raia says various specialist teams have been deployed to assist with the investigation, including bomb technicians, crisis management coordinators and evidence technicians.

    So far, more than 400 tips have been received from the pubic relating to both New Orleans and other states around the country.

    The FBI and law enforcement partners are also reviewing hundreds of hours of surveillance from the French Quarter and other locations, he says.

  11. FBI now believes Jabbar acted alonepublished at 16:34 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January
    Breaking

    Raia says the agency now believes that no-one else was involved in the attack apart from Shamsud-Din Jabbar.

    As a reminder, the FBI had previously said it did not believe Jabbar acted alone.

    He adds that the investigation is just over 24 hours old and asks the public to remain patient.

    Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI's counter-terrorism division, stands behind a podium with several microphones wearing a suit. He is standing next to several other people in front of a Louisiana State Police backdrop.Image source, US POOL
  12. Fourteen 'innocent victims' killed in attack, FBI confirmspublished at 16:32 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    We're now hearing from Christopher Raia, deputy assistant director of the FBI's counter-terrorism division, who says 14 "innocent victims" were killed in this "horrific attack" and at least 35 others injured.

    "We cannot ease the grief people in this community and across the nation are feeling at this time," he says, but "we stand with you".

    As a reminder, the total death toll is 15, which includes the attacker.

  13. Governor compares investigation to a jigsaw puzzlepublished at 16:29 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Media caption,

    Governor likens New Orleans attack investigation to a jigsaw puzzle

    Landry's comparing the investigation to a jigsaw puzzle.

    "You got to start sifting through those pieces," Landry says, adding that more than 1,000 law enforcement agents are poring over data and video evidence from the crime.

    While city officials are continuing to investigate the attack, they are also working to secure the city for the 3pm local time (21:00 GDT) kick-off of the sugar Bowl, a big American football game, he says.

  14. Flags flying at half-mast to honour victims of 'horrific act of violence'published at 16:26 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry opens the press conference by saying that flags are at half-mast to honour the lives lost "in this horrific act of violence".

  15. News conference has startedpublished at 16:23 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    After a delay, the news conference with the FBI and other officials has just started.

    Stay with us for updates. You can watch live at the top of the page.

    Governor of Louisiana Jeff Landry in a black top speaks at the news conference behind a podium and microphones surrounded by others.Image source, US Pool
  16. Law enforcement news conference delayedpublished at 16:09 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    We've just been told that the FBI news conference has been delayed by 10 to 15 minutes.

    Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and the FBI's deputy assistant director Christopher Raia from the agency's counter-intelligence division are among those expected to speak.

  17. FBI briefing about to startpublished at 15:58 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    A highly anticipated briefing from FBI officials is about to begin in the next few minutes.

    We're expecting to hear more about Shamsud-Din Jabbar, who drove a car through a crowded New Orleans street in the early hours of New Year's Day, killing 15 people.

    Stick with us and we'll bring you the latest from the presser.

    You can watch the briefing live at the top of the page.

  18. Police out in force ahead of Bourbon Street re-openingpublished at 15:52 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Bernd Debusmann Jr
    Reporting from New Orleans

    Royal Street in New Orleans

    Good morning from New Orleans, where I've just been having another look at the area near where the attack took place.

    It's still very much a crime scene, with police tape and officers blocking access to Bourbon Street in the French Quarter.

    A few minutes ago, I was standing on Royal Street, about one block from the corner of Bourbon and Conti, approximately where the suspect's vehicle crashed and he began shooting at police officers.

    It's still completely blocked off, although I did see police let in members of a clean-up crew.

    We've been told that Bourbon Street will re-open today, although we still don't have an exact time.

  19. Some of those injured in attack remain in critical condition, doctor sayspublished at 15:45 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Dr. Jeffrey Elder, chief medical officer at University Medical Center in New Orleans looking at the cameraImage source, CBS
    Image caption,

    Jeffrey Elder says the conditions of injured people range from critical to stable

    We've just had an update on the condition of some of those who were injured in the attack.

    Jeffrey Elder, chief medical officer at University Medical Center in New Orleans, tells CBS News that 26 patients arrived at the hospital "in a matter of minutes".

    Fifteen are still being treated, with conditions ranging from critical to stable, he says.

    Elder says the injuries include blunt trauma from the truck collision and penetrating trauma from bullet wounds.

    While the hospital is focused on treating injuries, he adds it’s also a place for "families to come in" and "reunite with their loved ones".

  20. What we know about the attackerpublished at 15:34 Greenwich Mean Time 2 January

    Jabbar, wearing military fatigues, sits at a desk working on a computer with a big red wire plugged into itImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    The 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army had previously posted this image on Facebook

    Attacker Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, killed 15 people after he drove a pick-up truck into a large crowd of people celebrating the new year in the French Quarter of New Orleans. He was shot dead by police.

    The FBI has said it is investigating the attack as an "act of terrorism".

    If you're just joining us now, or you're in need of a reminder, here's what we know about him so far.

    • Jabbar was a US citizen from Texas and an Army veteran. He had been deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010 but had worked in different roles within the Army, including IT, between 2007 to 2015, according to a LinkedIn profile that has now been taken down
    • US President Joe Biden said Jabbar had uploaded videos to social media "hours" before the attack which indicated he was inspired by the Islamic State (IS) group. A flag associated with the group was found in the vehicle he used for the attack
    • He studied at Georgia State University from 2015 to 2017, graduating with a degree in computer information systems
    • Jabbar had been married twice, with his first marriage ending in 2012 and his second lasting from 2017 to 2022
    • According to divorce filings relating to his second marriage, Jabbar had been experiencing financial problems. He had disclosed more than $40,000 credit card debt while his then-wife said he had engaged in "unnecessary and unreasonable spending"
    • He had a criminal record relating to traffic offences and theft
    • Most recently,Jabbar had been working for Deloitte in a staff-level role since 2021. Court filings for his second divorce suggest he was earning about $125,000 a year

    As a reminder, investigators have said they do not believe Jabbar was acting alone but no arrests have been made in relation to the incident.