Can we prevent deadly truck attacks like the one in New Orleans?

Summary

Consider This from NPR

Episode Title: Can we prevent deadly truck attacks like the one in New Orleans?
Release Date: January 2, 2025

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Overview of the New Orleans Truck Attack

On New Year’s Day, a devastating attack occurred on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, where a pickup truck was deliberately driven into a crowd, resulting in the tragic deaths of at least 14 individuals and injuring dozens more. Mary Louise Kelly sets the scene by contrasting the peaceful holiday atmosphere with the chaos that ensued:

"Bourbon street lit up with holiday lights, people out calling to friends... instead, New Orleans spent New Year's Day wheeling from the news that overnight a driver plowed a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon street, killing at least 14, injuring dozens more."
(00:00)

Eyewitness Accounts and Immediate Aftermath

Jim Maurer and his wife were present during the attack and provided harrowing firsthand accounts:

David Brannan: "It was traveling at a very high rate of speed. And so we managed, we were in the middle of the road and managed to run off the road onto the sidewalk and into the doorway of a building for cover."
(00:37)

Police responded swiftly, engaging in a gunfight with the driver, who was ultimately killed. In addition to the vehicular assault, two explosive devices were discovered, leading the FBI to declare the incident an act of terrorism. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency, and Bourbon Street was temporarily closed for investigation. Mayor Latoya Cantrell confirmed that victims had been identified and their families notified:

David Brannan: "They mattered. The families matter and matter to the city of New Orleans."
(01:22)

Impact on Local Events and Community Resilience

Despite the tragedy, New Orleans aimed to resume normalcy swiftly. By the afternoon, Bourbon Street reopened with a makeshift memorial of 14 yellow roses near Canal Street. The city faces a busy month ahead, including Mardi Gras and the Super Bowl at the Superdome. Mayor Cantrell assured the public of the city's preparedness:

David Brannan: "I want to reassure the public that the city of New Orleans is not only ready for game day today, but we're ready to continue to host large scale events in our city because we are built to host."
(01:59)

Governor Landry echoed this confidence, emphasizing the resilience and hospitality of Louisiana. Brannan further highlighted the community’s strength and commitment to remembering the victims without succumbing to fear:

David Brannan: "It would be a tragedy if we let their losses be snuffed out because of fear."
(02:21)

Investigating the Motive and Suspect’s Background

NPR’s Jennifer Ludden reported on the evolving investigation, revealing that the FBI now believes the attacker acted alone despite initial suspicions of accomplices. The suspect, Shamsuddin Jabbar, had posted videos on Facebook expressing allegiance to ISIS and outlined his grievances:

David Brannan: "The political aspect of terrorism, which is essential for it to be terrorism as opposed to straight criminal... It absolutely does this because anybody who is out running around on this holiday has to question whether or not they're next."
(08:29)

Jabbar had a history of personal struggles, including divorce and financial issues, which may have contributed to his radicalization. The FBI continues to explore these factors to understand his path to extremism.

Security Concerns for Upcoming Events

The attack raised significant concerns about security for major events in New Orleans. Jennifer Ludden interviewed attendees of the rescheduled College Football Playoff at the Superdome, who expressed a mix of fear and determination to support their teams:

Mary Louise Kelly: "If you're afraid and you don't just keep on living."
(05:53)

John Verdon, a Notre Dame alum, conveyed a sense of resilience, feeling confident in the enhanced security measures:

David Brannan: "Plus, Verdon said he was a senior at Notre Dame back in the 1981 Sugar bowl when the Fighting Irish played Georgia and lost big time."
(06:08)

Expert Analysis on Preventing Vehicular Terror Attacks

David Brannan, a counterterrorism expert at the Naval Postgraduate School, provided insights into the nature of such attacks and the challenges in preventing them:

David Brannan: "We've had close to 20 ramming attacks... in 2010, al Qaeda came out in Inspire magazine and asked people to start using vehicles to ram... It’s not something that we should be surprised by."
(07:26)

He emphasized the difficulty in eliminating risk entirely, noting that vehicles are ubiquitous and easily accessible weapons:

David Brannan: "Is there just a certain amount of risk and it's never going to be zero when a crowd gathers in a public space outside? Yes, ma'am."
(10:29)

Brannan highlighted the adaptive nature of terrorist strategies, making it challenging for law enforcement to anticipate and prevent every potential threat:

David Brannan: "We cannot be hermetically sealed and safe at all times... terrorists are dynamic and amorphous and evolving, and so they are going to constantly adapt to our countermeasures."
(09:23)

Despite advancements, he acknowledged that vulnerabilities remain due to the simple accessibility of vehicles as tools for violence.

Conclusion

The New Orleans truck attack underscores the persistent threat of vehicular terrorism and the complexities involved in preventing such acts. While the community demonstrates remarkable resilience and preparedness, experts like David Brannan remind us of the evolving nature of terrorism and the inherent challenges in achieving absolute safety. As New Orleans moves forward, balancing security with the spirit of hospitality remains a critical endeavor.

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Notable Quotes:

• Jim Maurer: Described the truck’s speed and their swift action to find cover. (00:37)
• David Brannan: Emphasized the importance of remembering victims and not succumbing to fear. (02:21, 07:26, 09:23)
• Jennifer Ludden: Provided updates on the investigation and community responses. (03:37, 05:34)
• Mayor Latoya Cantrell: Assured the public of the city's preparedness for upcoming events. (01:59)
• Governor Jeff Landry: Affirmed the resilience of New Orleans and Louisiana. (02:16)

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Attribution: This summary is based on the transcript of the NPR episode "Can we prevent deadly truck attacks like the one in New Orleans?" from "Consider This" hosted by Mary Louise Kelly, released on January 2, 2025.

Transcript

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Last week on Christmas morning, I was on vacation in New Orleans, strolling the French Quarter. And it was drizzling, but beautiful. Bourbon street lit up with holiday lights, people out calling to friends, walking their dogs, enjoying the day. Well, that is what it should have looked like yesterday. Instead, New Orleans spent New Year's Day wheeling from the news that overnight a driver plowed a pickup truck into a crowd of people on Bourbon street, killing at least 14, injuring dozens more. Jim Maurer and his wife were on Bourbon street at the time of the attack, and they described the truck's rampage to CBS News.

[David Brannan]

It was traveling at a very high rate of speed. And so we managed, we were in the middle of the road and managed to run off the road onto the sidewalk and into the doorway of a building for cover.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Police responded immediately and exchanged gunfire with the driver. He was killed. Officials also found two explosive devices placed by the driver at different locations in the French Quarter. The FBI has called the incident an act of terror. Yesterday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry declared a state of emergency and Bourbon street was closed while the FBI carried out the investigation. At a press conference Thursday, Mayor Latoya Cantrell said the victims were removed, identified and their families notified.

[David Brannan]

They mattered. The families matter and matter to the city of New Orleans.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Bourbon street was reopened to the public this afternoon. 14 yellow roses have been placed on the sidewalk near Canal street as a makeshift memorial for the victims. And the always busy city has an even busier month ahead. Mardi Gras is coming up in a month. Tens of thousands of football fans will flock to the Superdome to watch the Super Bowl. Mayor Cantrell assured residents the city is prepared for the upcoming events, including this afternoon's Sugar bowl postponed from yesterday.

[David Brannan]

I want to reass the public that the city of New Orleans is not only ready for game day today, but we're ready to continue to host large scale events in our city because we are built to host.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Governor Landry echoed that sentiment, saying the city and state will be back.

[David Brannan]

Louisiana invented hospitality. The people in this city care for each other and believe you me, we care about each one of the lives that were lost in the city and that we will never forget them. But it would be a tragedy if we let their losses be snuffed out because of fear.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Consider this. Officials often point out that spreading fear is a primary goal of terrorist attacks like this. Is it possible to prevent them? After the break, we'll put that question to a counterterrorism expert and hear the latest from New Orleans from npr. I'm Mary Louise Kelly, It's Consider this from npr. New Orleans is still reeling after a deadly New Year's Day attack. Today, state and local officials assured people the city is safe. And after after reviewing more evidence, the FBI says it seems clear the attacker acted alone. NPR's Jennifer Ludden joins us from New Orleans with the latest. Hey there.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Hi.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Start with that last point, which is a change. Yesterday, officials had said they did believe the attacker might have had others involved. Why did they say that's not the case?

[Jennifer Ludden]

Well, remember that not far from the attack site on Bourbon street, officials had found two coolers with improvised explosive devices in them. And they had said there was video of other people putting them there. Well, today they said they have now seen that, in fact, it was the attacker, Shamsuddin Jabbar, who placed those IEDs, and the other people were just passersby looking into the coolers. Also, officials say after watching more video and looking at social media and interviewing hundreds of people, there is no evidence anyone helped him. So with all this new information, Bourbon street reopened this afternoon.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

And then what about motive, Jennifer? Have we learned anything more about what may have motivated the suspect to carry out this rampage?

[Jennifer Ludden]

Well, in a briefing today, the FBI's Christopher Reyes said the attacker posted five videos to his Facebook account in the hours leading up to the rampage. And in them, he said he had joined the terror group ISIS before this past summer. He had a will and testament, and there was this.

[David Brannan]

In the first video, Jabbar explains he originally planned to harm his family and friends, but was concerned the news headlines would not focus on the, quote, war between the believers and the disbelievers, end quote.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Now, Rya says they still want to learn more about why he then picked New Orleans to attack. And I will add that separately, we are learning that Jabbar had a history of divorce and serious financial troubles.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

So all these questions, this whole massive investigation is happening today amid big crowds for the College Football Playoff. This is between University of Georgia and Notre Dame. It was supposed to happen yesterday. It got moved to today. How are people who you're meeting there? How are they feeling about the security situation?

[Jennifer Ludden]

Well, you know, they are the ones who decided to stay. Kimmy and Bud Hoagland traveled here from Fort Lauderdale. She's a Georgia alum. They were to have left this morning and they did consider security.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

After thinking about it, we just decided.

[Jennifer Ludden]

That we would, we would stay and cheer them on.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

And what my husband says is, you know what?

[David Brannan]

They win.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

If you're afraid and you don't just keep on living.

[Jennifer Ludden]

I also spoke with John Verdon and his son. They were here from Cincinnati and all decked out and Fighting Irish gear. Verdon says he feels awful about what happened, but he does figure the Superdome is even safer now.

[David Brannan]

I've, you know, seen a lot of police presence around. You know, I've, we've been watching the news, so we've kind of heard what they've done about the Superdome and the security around there. So I, I have no issues.

[Jennifer Ludden]

Plus, Verdon said he was a senior at Notre Dame back in the 1981 Sugar bowl when the Fighting Irish played Georgia and lost big time.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Okay. So he's looking for payback. So where do things go next? Next steps, Jennifer, for the city and the investigation?

[Jennifer Ludden]

Well, the FBI says it still has a ton of work. It wants to know more about the attacker's path to radicalization, is asking anyone who knows him or ever knew him to please come forward and be interviewed. And as for New Orleans, you know, they've got Mardi Gras and they're hosting the super bowl next month. Been a long debate here about safety on Bourbon street amid crowds. We're just going to have to see what changes they make to assure people of that.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

That's NPR's Jennifer Ludden in New Orleans. Well, at the press conference Thursday morning, Christopher Rea, deputy assistant FBI director, emphasized what the agency said yesterday.

[David Brannan]

This was an act of terrorism. It was premeditated and an evil act.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

David Brannan studies these types of terror acts as a counterterrorism expert at the Naval Postgraduate. When I spoke to him yesterday, I asked what stood out from the incident.

[David Brannan]

Well, the pedestrian nature of what we're looking at really stands out to me. We've had.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

What do you mean?

[David Brannan]

We've had close to 20 ramming attacks in certainly since 2006. But, you know, in 2010, al Qaeda came out in Inspire magazine and asked people to start using vehicles to ram. They, in fact, named the F350 specifically as a heavy duty weapon that could be used by their people. And then that was added to by the Islamic State. And so it's not something that we should be surprised by.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

I will add that the FBI has also said that the suspect had an ISIS flag attached to the trailer hitch of the truck. Still, so many more questions than answers. But based on what we know so far, would you agree with the FBI assessment that this was a terror attack?

[David Brannan]

Yes, ma'am, absolutely. Why intentional with the ISIS flag? The political aspect of terrorism, which is essential for it to be terrorism as opposed to straight criminal. It's assumed at that point, and then it's intended to cause fear in an audience beyond those which are directly impacted by the violence. And it absolutely does this because anybody who is out running around on this holiday has to question whether or not they're next because we're an open society where vehicles are an ongoing part of everything we do.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

So you're a former police officer. I'm told that you were on a SWAT team for years. You work with cops all over the country now. How do you protect against something like this?

[David Brannan]

It's such a perfect question, and it's something I'm really glad you're asking because it's something that citizens need to understand. We cannot be hermetically sealed and safe at all times. You know, the famous terrorism analyst Bruce Hoffman has said repeatedly to me that terrorists are dynamic and amorphous and evolving, and so they are going to constantly adapt to our countermeasures. Those police running towards the scene of this attack show that they are desperate to protect the people they're sworn to protect. But they can't be everywhere at all times. And the pickup truck itself becomes this terrible weapon. And so they're ubiquitous everywhere.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

Yeah. I mean, that leads to a very basic question. Is there just a certain amount of risk and it's never going to be zero when a crowd gathers in a public space outside?

[David Brannan]

Yes, ma'am. And I would just say also that the fact that it's such a common weapon, you know, the vehicle itself, shows just how vulnerable we are. We are certainly much better off than we have been in the past. The relationship between the federal, state and local law enforcement is 100% more than 100% better than it was at 9 11.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

That's David Brannan, counterterrorism expert at the Hoffman Group and at the Naval Postgraduate School. Thank you.

[David Brannan]

Thank you, ma'am.

[Mary Louise Kelly]

This episode was produced by Megan Lim, Noah Caldwell and Alina Burnett. It was edited by Sarah Handel, Russell Lewis and Jeanette Woods. Our executive producer is Sammy Yenig. It's consider this from npr. I'm Mary Louise Kelly.