SWAT Standoff Outside Houston Home in New Orleans Terror Probe
Dramatic drone footage shows a tense showdown as a man is ordered to raise his hands by a SWAT team outside a Houston home. The suspect is linked to the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans that left 15 dead and dozens wounded.
Armed officers confronted the unnamed man on Wednesday afternoon amid a major FBI crackdown into the horrific massacre.
New Orleans Massacre: The Bloody Attack
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a Texas-born U.S. citizen, ploughed a rented Ford pick-up truck into crowds celebrating New Year’s in the French Quarter. The attack killed 15 people instantly. Jabbar then jumped from the vehicle firing wildly before police shot him dead.
Authorities uncovered an ISIS flag inside the truck, along with a chest packed with explosives. Several improvised bombs were also found nearby, though the FBI later cleared other suspects initially thought involved in planting them.
Suspect’s Shadowy Past
Jabbar converted to Islam early in life and served in the U.S. Army from 2007 to 2015, including a deployment to Afghanistan in 2009. He held the rank of Staff Sergeant and earned multiple commendations during his military career.
His family is stunned. Jabbar’s brother, Abdur, called him a “sweetheart” and blamed the attack on “radicalisation, not religion.”
President Biden Weighs In
Speaking from Camp David, President Joe Biden offered condolences and confirmed the attack is being treated as an ISIS-inspired terrorist act. He noted investigators found ISIS materials in Jabbar’s vehicle.
“Our nation grieves with you. We will stand with you as you mourn and heal,” Biden said.
The president urged caution against quick conclusions but confirmed authorities are probing links between the New Orleans rampage and a previous blast near Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas.
Ex-Wife’s Legal Action Raises Alarms
Court records reveal Jabbar’s ex-wife obtained a restraining order against him in 2020 amid divorce proceedings. She accused him of reckless and intentional harm. Their separation was finalised in 2022.
FBI Hunt Continues
The investigation presses on to uncover whether Jabbar acted alone or had accomplices. FBI agents are combing through forensic evidence, explosives, and surveillance footage to fully map out the deadly plot.
