New Orleans Attack, Suspect's Texas Home, Las Vegas Truck Explosion

Summary

NPR Up First Summary – January 2, 2025

Hosts: Leila Fadel, Steve Inskeep, Michel Martin, A Martinez, Ayesha Rascoe, Scott Simon

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1. Tragic Attack on Bourbon Street, New Orleans

On New Year's Eve, a devastating attack occurred on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, where a pickup truck plowed into a crowded crowd, resulting in the deaths of 15 individuals. The suspect, Shamsuddin Jabbar, a 42-year-old veteran from the Houston area, was swiftly identified and killed by police after a brief confrontation.

Key Details:

• Terrorist Classification: The FBI has classified the attack as an act of terrorism, citing the presence of an ISIS flag in Jabbar's vehicle and statements indicating inspiration by ISIS.
• Possible Co-Conspirators: President Biden mentioned, "[...] police know that he may not have acted alone" (00:37), urging anyone with information to come forward.
• Infrastructure Failures: Investigators highlighted that automatic bollards on Bourbon Street were malfunctioning, leading police to use cruisers as barriers. Jabbar circumvented these barricades, causing chaos.

Notable Quotes:

• President Biden: "He was inspired by ISIS. So what's that mean?" (00:21)
• Drew Hawkins, Gulf States Newsroom: "Investigators say that he crashed through police barricades... the FBI has called it an act of terrorism by an American citizen." (02:03)

Victims: Among the victims were notable individuals such as Tiger Beck, a standout athlete from Lafayette, Louisiana, and Nicaira Didot, a Mississippi teenager. Additionally, two 20-year-old women from Fort Myers, Florida, were hospitalized with injuries. Authorities are currently notifying families before releasing full victim details.

Community Impact: The attack has left the city in a state of shock and grief, compounded by frustrations over perceived lapses in safety measures. Drew Hawkins noted, "There's also some anger that this happened... residents and visitors right now are still grappling with shock and grief" (04:16).

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2. Explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck at Trump Hotel, Las Vegas

On the same day as the New Orleans attack, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, resulting in the death of the driver and injuries to seven others. This incident has drawn attention due to the involvement of high-profile brands and possible political undertones.

Incident Overview:

• Vehicle Details: The Cybertruck was rented via the Turo app in Colorado and was found to have contained gasoline canisters and large fireworks mortars, which likely contributed to the explosion.
• Response by Authorities: Law enforcement officials, including Sheriff Kevin McMahill, are investigating whether the renter and driver are the same person and exploring any potential motives.

Notable Quotes:

• Frank Langford, NPR: "The cybertruck pulled up to the valet parking area... smoke starts to come out of the truck, then these fireworks... the truck is engulfed in flames." (09:46)
• Elon Musk: "The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack." (12:24)

Investigation Insights:

• Police Findings: The truck's sturdy bed partially contained the explosion, preventing damage to the Trump Hotel's lobby. However, the exact ignition source remains unclear.
• FBI Involvement: The FBI is collaborating with local law enforcement, deploying bomb technicians and counterterrorism experts to assess the situation.

Community and Political Reactions: Elon Musk responded to the explosion by praising the Cybertruck's resilience, emphasizing its structural integrity despite the attack. Authorities are cautious, maintaining that the Las Vegas incident appears isolated but are thoroughly investigating any potential links to the New Orleans tragedy.

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3. Exploring Possible Connections Between the Two Incidents

Given the simultaneous occurrence of these two high-profile attacks in major tourist destinations, investigators are probing for any connections:

• Commonalities: Both incidents involved rented vehicles from the Turo app and took place on the same day in cities with significant tourist traffic.
• Distinct Differences: Unlike the New Orleans attack, no ISIS flag was found in the Las Vegas Cybertruck, and initial assessments suggest differing motives.

Investigative Statements:

• Jeremy Schwartz, FBI Las Vegas: "We believe this is an isolated incident. We do not believe that there's a bunch of folks out there supporting this or helping this." (12:12)
• Frank Langford: "There's no concrete connection yet... Once they have the identity of the cybertruck driver, they'll see if there's any connection with the person in New Orleans." (11:30)

As of now, authorities view the two events as separate, but the overlapping circumstances warrant a thorough investigation to rule out any broader threats.

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4. Additional Insights into the Suspect's Background

Investigators delved into Shamsuddin Jabbar's background to understand potential motives and affiliations:

• Personal History: Jabbar's life included several real estate ventures in Texas, a recent divorce, and business failures. These factors may have contributed to his apparent state of distress before the attack.
• Military Service: Served in the U.S. Army from 2007 to 2015, reaching the rank of staff sergeant. He had one overseas deployment to Afghanistan in 2009 and held roles in human resources and IT.

Notable Quotes:

• Jen Chavez, Texas Newsroom: "His resume also included a brief stint at the consulting firm Deloitte." (07:38)
• Jabbar's YouTube Video (now removed): "My time in the military taught me to, quote, take everything seriously, dotting I's and crossing T's to make sure that things go off without a hitch." (06:21)

Community Feedback: Neighbors described Jabbar as a familiar face in their Muslim community, noting that while he was known and had interacted amicably with them, there were no apparent signs of his involvement in extremist activities.

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5. Ongoing Investigations and Community Safety

The FBI has mobilized specialized teams to Jabbar's last known address in Houston, executing search warrants across multiple states to uncover any additional connections or accomplices. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas explosion is under intense scrutiny to determine any potential links to the New Orleans attack.

Authorities' Appeal: Police have urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities, emphasizing the importance of community cooperation in preventing future tragedies.

Elon Musk's Involvement: Tesla is assisting investigators by providing vehicle tracking data from charging stations and video footage from the Cybertruck. Musk's public statement underscores the unintended misuse of their technology, aiming to reassure the public of the vehicle's safety features.

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Conclusion:

The simultaneous attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas have shocked the nation, prompting extensive investigations into potential motives and connections. While initial findings suggest differing causes, the overlapping elements necessitate a comprehensive approach to ensure public safety and prevent future incidents. NPR Up First continues to monitor these developments, providing timely updates as more information becomes available.

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Summary Compiled by [Your Name]

Transcript

[Leila Faldel]

Investigators are looking for answers in New Orleans and Las Vegas.

[Steve Inskeep]

On the Gulf coast, they identified an attacker who was a veteran from Texas in Nevada. The question is, what made a Tesla cybertruck explode outside a Trump Hotel?

[Leila Faldel]

I'm Leila Faldel. That's Steve Inskeep. And this is up first from NPR News.

[Steve Inskeep]

What do police know about the suspect in the attack that killed 15 people on Bourbon Street? The ISIS flag was found in his vehicle. President Biden also said he was inspired by isis. So what's that mean? FBI investigators include counterterrorism experts and bomb techs.

[Leila Faldel]

And the explosion outside the Vegas hotel involves two big brand names connected by politics.

[Steve Inskeep]

It's a Tesla truck.

[Jen Chavez]

And we know that Elon Musk is.

[Steve Inskeep]

Working with President Elect Trump. And it's the Trump Tower.

[Leila Faldel]

Stay with us. We've got the news you need to start your day.

[Frank Langford]

This message comes from Carvana. Finance your next car the convenient way.

[Steve Inskeep]

With customizable, transparent terms, all online. Make your budget work for you and swap hassle for convenience with Carvana.

[Jen Chavez]

Evergreen trees are Pacific Northwest icons in journalism. An evergreen story isn't tied to one news cycle. It goes deep and helps you understand the world. The Evergreen is also a podcast from OPB about the Northwest. I'm Jen Chavez. Listen to the Evergreen podcast from OPB every Monday, part of the NPR Network.

[Steve Inskeep]

We'll get up to date now on two incidents in two entertainment districts. An attack in New Orleans and an explosion in Las Vegas.

[Leila Faldel]

The Vegas incident involved a Tesla cybertruck that exploded outside a Trump Hotel. But first, we hear from New Orleans, where a pickup plan plowed into a crowd on Bourbon Street. Investigators have learned a little more over the past 24 hours.

[Steve Inskeep]

Let's go to Drew Hawkins, once again of Gulf States Newsroom. He's in New Orleans. Welcome back, Drew.

[Drew Hawkins]

Good morning, Steve.

[Steve Inskeep]

How does this event look after a day since you last spoke with us here?

[Drew Hawkins]

Yeah, so at this point, investigators say that the driver crashed through police barricades. Officers opened fire, the driver fired back. Two officers were injured before the driver was shot and killed. The FBI has called it an act of terrorism by an American citizen. And we know that he had an ISIS flag on his truck. Here's President Biden talking about it. Last night, the FBI also reported to.

[Steve Inskeep]

Me that mere hours before the attack, he posted videos on social media indicating that he was inspired by isis, expressing a desire to kill. The desire to kill.

[Drew Hawkins]

Investigators say that they believe the suspect, Shamsuddin Jabbar, may not have acted alone as well. Biden said law enforcement is looking for possible co conspirators or associations. And officials are urging people who might know anything to come forward. While at this point Bourbon street and most of the French Quarter remains off limits. And also yesterday's Sugar bowl game between Notre Dame and Georgia was postponed until this afternoon.

[Steve Inskeep]

I'm just dwelling on the details you give us there possible co conspirators, but we don't really know the president's inspired by isis, which sounds more like an ideological connection, but of course we don't know that. And we'll be getting in a moment to more details about the individual. What are city officials saying about how the driver got past police though?

[Drew Hawkins]

Yeah, so there were automatic bollards installed on Bourbon street more than a decade ago. So these are these barriers that go up and down automatically to block off the streets, but they haven't worked in quite some time. So instead what New Orleans police did was they parked police cruisers at the intersect to prevent traffic from getting in. But the suspect simply drove around the police cruiser, he went up onto the sidewalk and then began speeding down the road and started running into people in the crowded streets. The city was actually in the process of getting those bollards fixed ahead of the big super bowl that's set to be held here. But that process obviously wasn't complete. And critics have asked why these bollards have taken so long to be repaired in an area that has, you know, such heavy tourist and foot traffic.

[Steve Inskeep]

That question has got to be just one part of what's affect in New Orleans right now.

[Drew Hawkins]

Yeah, yeah, it's a somber mood. I think there's also some anger that this happened. The witnesses described a chaotic, tragic scene with people out celebrating New Year's Eve that were suddenly plunged into panic and devastation. Like I mentioned, there's also the Sugar Bowl. It's a really big deal. But many residents and visitors right now are still grappling with shock and grief as this city tries to recover. And like I said, there's also frustration with the city of New Orleans who some people feel just didn't do enough to keep people safe.

[Steve Inskeep]

Tell me a little bit about the victims.

[Drew Hawkins]

Yeah, we know that among the 15 people who were killed, one was Tiger Beck. He's described as a standout athlete from Lafayette, Louisiana, and a Mississippi teenager, Nicaira Didot. Injuries span a wide range. We've learned about two 20 year old women from Fort Myers, Florida who were hurt and are currently hospitalized. But the thing right now is that officials say they're waiting to notify families before they can release the names of all the victims.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay. Drew Hawkins with Gulf Newsroom in New Orleans. Thanks so much for your insights.

[Drew Hawkins]

Thanks, Steve.

[Steve Inskeep]

Now, the suspect was a native of Texas.

[Leila Faldel]

Shamsadine Jabbar was from the Houston area and drove a rented pickup to New Orleans. So far as we know, his 42 years were filled with mostly ordinary life events.

[Steve Inskeep]

Lauren McGaughey with the Texas Newsroom has been working to learn more about him. Hi there, Lauren.

[Jen Chavez]

Good morning.

[Steve Inskeep]

So what have you found out about this man's life up until the moment when he attacked in New Orleans?

[Jen Chavez]

Sure. Well, we know that he started a handful of realty ventures in Texas, and then he also had a Realtor's license here. But state business records also show that two of his ventures recently went defunct just in the last few years. He also went through divorce proceedings here about five years ago. That's according to court records. And those show that he and his ex wife were fighting over money and that they had a child together. He posted a YouTube video for one of these businesses, which has now been taken down. But in the video, Jabbar said he was born and raised in Beaumont, Texas, and spent time in the military.

[Steve Inskeep]

This underlines some of the frustrations at moments like this. You can see this person's difficulty in life, shortage of money, divorce, business failures. But, of course, these are things that happen to lots of people who do not respond in this way. What about his military service?

[Jen Chavez]

A US army spokesman said that Jabbar served from 2007 to 2015 and then switched to the Reserves. He was a human resources and IT specialist, so he mostly worked in those roles. But he. He also did have one overseas deployment to Afghanistan for about a year in 2009. And when he left service, he held the rank of staff sergeant. We were also able to speak to a US Official not able to speak on the record, who told NPR's Tom Bowman that Jabbar was honorably discharged, but that he did have disciplinary problems while in the military. And in that YouTube video I mentioned, Jabbar said his time in the military taught him to, quote, take everything seriously, dotting I's and crossing T's to make sure that things go off without a hitch. We were able to confirm that after the Army, Jabbar went to school at Georgia State University in Atlanta and graduated with a degree in computer information systems. And his resume also included a brief stint at the consulting firm Deloitte.

[Steve Inskeep]

And he ended up living where.

[Jen Chavez]

So we were able to trace Jabbar's Last known address to a neighborhood in northwest Houston. Our reporters from Houston Public Media said by Wednesday afternoon, the place was just completely swarming with police investigating the attack, including FBI agents. The house he supposedly lived in was a small, white, kind of portable style home with a big black gate. And there were a lot of cars outside the home. But our reporters were unable to speak with anyone inside. They did talk to some of Jabbar's neighbors. This is Francois Veneguas, who has lived in the area for a couple of years. He said it's a Muslim community and they don't generally have any problems there. Venegas said he's seen Jabbar around the neighborhood and that they've waved at each other, but that he didn't know him well. And just one more thing regarding the car that Jabbar was driving. Dan Patrick, the lieutenant governor of Texas, said that Jabbar rented it on December 30 and was seen driving around Houston in it before the attack.

[Steve Inskeep]

Where's the investigation go now?

[Jen Chavez]

The FBI says it deployed specialty teams to the neighborhood where Jabbar lived. That's bomb technicians, counterterrorism investigators, crisis negotiators. But the bureau also asked people to just avoid the area. They even put some temporary flight restriction into place, and it indicated search warrants were being executed in multiple states.

[Steve Inskeep]

Lauren McGaughey of the Texas Newsroom bringing us the results of a team of reporters working on this. Thanks so much.

[Jen Chavez]

You're welcome.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay. Now investigators are looking for any possible connections between that attack in New Orleans and the New Year's Day explosion of a Tesla cybertruck in front of a Trump Hotel in Las Vegas.

[Leila Faldel]

Yeah. A joint terrorism task force of FBI agents and local law enforcement is investigating that blast which killed the driver and injured at least seven other people.

[Steve Inskeep]

NPR's Frank Lankford is covering the story. Hi there, Frank.

[Frank Langford]

Hey, good morning, Steve.

[Steve Inskeep]

Can you work us through the best understanding of what happened?

[Jen Chavez]

Yeah.

[Frank Langford]

It was Las Vegas Metropolitan Police. They say this cybertruck pulled up to the valet parking area of the Trump International Hotel. This was somewhere around 8:40 yesterday. Sat there for maybe 15, 20 seconds. Smoke starts to come out of the truck, then these fireworks. You can see this in the video. They're shooting out of the truck and then the truck is sort of engulfed in flames. The driver was killed and as mentioned, seven people nearby. They suffered minor injuries.

[Steve Inskeep]

What do police know about the man who was in that vehicle, the person who was in that vehicle?

[Frank Langford]

Well, they know who rented the truck, but I'm not sure. They've not identified that person yet, at least not publicly. The truck was rented in Colorado and what they want to make sure of, I think, is that the renter and the driver are the same person. That in terms of a motive, they haven't said anything at all. But yesterday at this news conference, Sheriff Kevin McMahill, he said there's obviously a line of inquiry here. And this is how he put it last night.

[Jen Chavez]

Well, I mean, it's a Tesla truck. We know that Elon Musk is working.

[Steve Inskeep]

With President Elect Trump and it's the Trump Tower.

[Jen Chavez]

So there's obviously things to be concerned about there. And that's something we continue to look at.

[Steve Inskeep]

So he's identifying dots, not yet connecting the dots, which seems prudent at this early stage. Do investigators know what made the truck explode?

[Frank Langford]

Yeah, they showed a video yesterday of the burned out bed of the truck and you could see gasoline canisters. There were camp fuel canisters and large fireworks mortars, which explains those fireworks that burst out of the car. But police aren't not sure exactly how it was ignited. There's also an interesting observation. They said the bed of the truck was very sturdy and so it partially contained the blast and that's why the windows of the lobby of the Trump Hotel weren't actually damaged.

[Steve Inskeep]

Oh, interesting. Now, is there anything concrete to connect this to the incident in New Orleans?

[Frank Langford]

No, they're just only superficial similarities at the moment. You know, these are apparent attacks both by truck, same day, these tourist cities. As you mentioned, both vehicles were rented on the same app called Turo. And the sheriff in Las Vegas called it another coincidence worth investigating. And once I think they have the identity of the cybertruck driver, they'll see if there's any connection with the person in New Orleans. The sheriff also said there was no ISIS flag seen in the cybertruck, which we saw in New Orleans. And Jeremy Schwartz, he's the acting Special Agent in charge of the FBI in Las Vegas, he added this.

[Steve Inskeep]

We believe this is an isolated incident. We do not believe that there's a bunch of folks out there supporting this or helping this.

[Jen Chavez]

And we don't believe that there's any.

[Frank Langford]

Other danger to the community right now.

[Steve Inskeep]

One other thing. What does Elon Musk say?

[Frank Langford]

Yes, Steve, he praised the apparent sturdiness of the truck. Writing on ax, he said this, the evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Now reminder, of course, authorities have not designated this as a terrorist attack yet, but they did say that Tesla was helpful in the investigation. Police were able to track the vehicle from its stops at Tesla charging stations, and Tesla also supplied videos from those stops.

[Steve Inskeep]

Okay, NPR's Frank Langford, thanks so much.

[Frank Langford]

Good to talk, Steve.

[Steve Inskeep]

And that's up first for this Thursday, January 2, 2025. I'm Steve Inskeep.

[Leila Faldel]

And I'm Leila Faldel. There's an easy way to stay connected to news and podcasts from the NPR Network. The n hear community coverage from your local station, stories from around the world, and podcast suggestions based on what you like. Download the NPR app in your App store.

[Steve Inskeep]

Today's up first was edited by Susanna Capilouto, Gigi Dubon, Jan Johnson and Alice Wolfley. It was produced by Katie Klein, Nia Dumas, and Julie Deppenbrock. Engineering support comes from Nisha Hyness. Our technical director is Carly Strange. Join us tomorrow foreign.

[Jen Chavez]

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[Frank Langford]

And get up first [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.