President Biden and First Lady to Visit New Orleans Following Tragic New Year’s Day Attack
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| Bourbon Street businesses reopen with heavy police presence in the wake of terror attack Bourbon Street businesses began cautiously reopening a day after a terror attack killed 14 during New Year's celebrations in New Orleans. |
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are set to visit New Orleans on Monday to console the families of victims and meet with local officials in the aftermath of the devastating New Year’s Day attack, according to the White House.
The incident, which claimed the lives of 14 people and injured 35 others, occurred early Wednesday morning when 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, a military veteran from Houston, drove a rented pickup truck into pedestrians on Bourbon Street. Jabbar was fatally shot by police after he began firing at officers.
In a national address from Camp David on the day of the attack, President Biden expressed his condolences, saying, “I want you to know I grieve with you.”
The FBI confirmed that Jabbar acted alone and had posted five social media videos in support of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group shortly before the 3:15 a.m. attack. Authorities also discovered an ISIS flag in the truck’s rear compartment.
Additionally, President Biden revealed that the suspect had a remote detonator intended to trigger two explosive devices hidden inside coolers along Bourbon Street. However, no evidence has been found linking this attack to the Tesla Cybertruck explosion near the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, despite both suspects having military backgrounds.
The President and First Lady’s visit on January 6 will coincide with heightened security measures in Washington, D.C., as Congress is scheduled to certify President-elect Donald Trump’s 2024 victory over Vice President Kamala Harris.