In the early hours of New Year’s Day 2025, New Orleans experienced a deadly attack when Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. Army veteran from Texas, drove a rented pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 15 people and injuring 30 others. Jabbar, who was killed by police during the incident, was reportedly carrying an ISIS flag, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were found in the vicinity, prompting the FBI to investigate the event as an act of terrorism.
Simultaneously, in Las Vegas, a separate but potentially related incident occurred when a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel, resulting in the death of the driver and minor injuries to seven others. The vehicle was filled with fuel canisters and firework mortars. Authorities are investigating whether this incident might also be an act of terrorism, with no confirmed link to the New Orleans attack yet established, though both incidents are under scrutiny for possible connections.
Both attacks used vehicles rented via the Turo app, which has led to investigations into whether this platform might have been exploited for these purposes. The FBI is actively looking into any potential connections between the two incidents, including any common military backgrounds of the perpetrators, as both were reported to have military service histories.
The aftermath of these events has led to heightened security measures, with New Orleans postponing the Sugar Bowl college football game and Las Vegas authorities examining whether there could be more threats or connections to other attacks. Public officials have responded with condolences and calls for increased vigilance, with President Joe Biden being briefed on both incidents and expressing his concern. The investigations are ongoing, with authorities looking into any possible co-conspirators or wider networks involved.
