Eyewitnesses Recall Horror of New Orleans Truck Attack
15 killed in New Orleans truck attack by ex-Army veteran,witnesses recall horrific scenes
New Orleans truck attack kills 15; witnesses describe chaos, suspect identified as army veteran
In a devastating incident in New Orleans, a 42-year-old man drove his pickup truck into a crowd of New Year’s revelers on Wednesday, killing 15 people and injuring dozens more. After a shootout with the police, the suspect—who was later identified as US Army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar—was slain.
The attack occurred in the French Quarter, one of the city’s most popular tourist areas, leaving behind scenes of chaos and horror. Eyewitnesses described the event as something out of a nightmare, with bodies thrown into the air and blood scattered across the area.
Eyewitness Accounts
Zion Parsons, an 18-year-old visiting New Orleans to celebrate the New Year, said the scene resembled a war zone. “It was just like a movie,” he said. “There were bodies, blood, and trash everywhere. It was truly like a war zone.”
Another witness, Jimmy Cothran, described the chaos as “insanity.” He added, “What we saw from the balcony was unbelievable—something you’d only see in a movie.”
Kimberly Stricklin and her husband, Michael, recalled hearing the truck accelerate before it plowed into the crowd. “We heard him punch the gas and then the impact. The screams that followed were chilling,” Kimberly said. She revealed that the screams of a young victim have been haunting her ever since.
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The Suspect
The assailant, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was an IT and human resources specialist in the US Army who had previously served in Afghanistan. Jabbar lived in Houston, Texas, and graduated with a degree in computing from Georgia State University.
Jabbar allegedly opened fire after slamming his car into the crowd, injuring two police officers before he was shot and killed in a firefight. His motivations are being looked into by authorities, and preliminary findings indicate that he may have been radicalised.
Aftermath
The attack has left the city reeling. US President Joe Biden condemned the incident, expressing condolences to the victims’ families and pledging federal support for the investigation.
New Orleans police continue to investigate the incident, with further details expected to emerge in the coming days.
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