Who is Shamsud-Din Jabbar, The Suspected New Orleans Attacker?

The FBI says Shamsud-Din Jabbar was killed in a shootout with police shortly after he drove a truck through a crowd in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day, killing 14. 

Religious Affiliations: The 42-year-old Texan, who the FBI says worked alone, posted videos to Facebook before the attack pledging alliance to ISIS. He said he originally planned “to harm his family and friends” but was “concerned the news headlines would not focus on the ‘war between the believers and the disbelievers.’” Jabbar's brother said they were raised Christian, but his sibling converted long ago, “As far as I know he was a Muslim for most of his life.” He added, “What he did does not represent Islam. This is more some type of radicalization, not religion.”  

Family: Jabbar has been divorced twice. Dwayne Marsh, who married Jabbar’s first ex-wife, said Jabbar had been “being all crazy” in recent months. Marsh and his wife stopped allowing the two daughters she shared with Jabbar to spend time with him. His second wife filed a motion for a temporary restraining order in 2020. In 2022, he wrote to his attorney, “Time is of the essence. I cannot afford the house payment. It is past due in excess of $27,000 and in danger of foreclosure if we delay settling the divorce.”

Military Background: Jabbar served in the Army for 13 years, including a deployment to Afghanistan. He worked as an IT specialist and was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant in 2020. Following his service, Jabbar obtained a real estate license, which expired in 2023. In a since-taken-down YouTube video, he said the military taught him the “meaning of great service” and “what it means to be responsive and take everything seriously,” and that he applied those skills to real estate.