Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s former commander says he was a “great soldier”

A former commander of the man who drove a pickup truck through a crowd of pedestrians in New Orleans’s bustling French Quarter, killing 15, said he was a “great soldier.”

Shamsud-Din Jabbar “served under my Troop Command during our deployment to Afghanistan,” Rich Groen wrote in a post on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday night.

“He worked quietly and professionally in the S1 shop and as a mail clerk, ensuring the little things that kept us all connected to home were done with care and precision. He was a great Soldier, someone who showed discipline and dedication.”

Groen added that “to think the same individual who once embodied quiet professionalism could harbor so much hate, leading to such unspeakable atrocities, is incomprehensible and heartbreaking. This transformation is a stark reminder of the dangers of unchecked anger, isolation, and hate.”

Newsweek has contacted Groen for further comment via X.

Why It Matters

Jabbar, 42, was identified as the perpetrator of the attack early on New Year’s Day. He was killed in a shootout with police.

Some Republicans suggested an immigrant was responsible for the attack.

President-elect Donald Trump said it had proved he was right about criminals “coming in” to the United States, while Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene railed against “wide open borders.”

However, the FBI has said Jabbar was a U.S. citizen and Army veteran from Texas.

The FBI said a flag representing the Islamic State group was found on the vehicle’s trailer hitch and the bureau is working to determine if Jabbar was associated with any terrorist organizations. The FBI said it is investigating the attack as an act of terrorism and does not believe Jabbar acted alone.

What To Know

Police said Jabbar drove a rented pickup truck around a police blockade and into revellers gathered on Bourbon Street to celebrate the new year at around 3:15 a.m. on January 1. At least 15 people were killed and about 30 others were injured.

Jabbar was killed by police after he exited the truck and opened fire on responding officers, authorities said. Three officers returned fire, and two were wounded and are in stable condition.

The FBI said weapons and a potential improvised explosive device (IED) were located in the truck. Other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter.

Jabbar enlisted in the Army in 2007, and worked in both human resources and information technology.

He deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, then transferred into the U.S. Army Reserve in 2015, the service said in a statement. He left the military in July 2020 with the rank of staff sergeant.

He was twice divorced, according to court documents reviewed by Newsweek.

Jabbar’s brother, Abdur Jabbar, 24, told The New York Times that they had been brought up Christian, but his brother had converted to Islam long ago.

“As far as I know he was a Muslim for most of his life,” he said. “What he did does not represent Islam. This is more some type of radicalization, not religion.”

He also said his brother had joined the military not knowing what he wanted to pursue in life. “It was a new outlet to get some sort of discipline,” he said.

President Joe Biden said Jabbar had posted videos on social media “indicating that he was inspired by ISIS, especially a desire to kill.”

What People Are Saying

Biden said in a video posted on X: “I’ve directed my team to make sure every resource, every resource is made available to federal, state and local law enforcement to complete the investigation in New Orleans quickly and to make sure there is no remaining threat to the American people.”

Addressing the victims and the people of New Orleans, he added: “I want you to know I grieve with you. Our nation grieves with you. And we’re going to stand with you as you mourn and as you heal in the weeks to come. The spirit of our New Orleans will never, never, never be defeated and always will shine forth.”

Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry wrote on X: “This is a fluid situation and we are in coordination with numerous local and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure a complete and thorough investigation to bring those who may have been part of this incident to justice. We recognize that there are tourists around us, and we urge all to avoid the French Quarter as this is an active investigation.”

Trump wrote on Truth Social: “When I said that the criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country, that statement was constantly refuted by Democrats and the Fake News Media, but it turned out to be true.

“The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before. Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department. The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!”

What’s Next

The FBI is the lead agency investigating the attack.

“We are aggressively running down all leads to identify any possible associates of the subject,” the bureau said in a statement.

Anyone with information, photos or video is asked to contact the FBI. They can get in touch by calling the FBI at 1-800- CALL-FBI or visit www.fbi.gov/bourbonstreetattack. They can also call the FBI’s New Orleans office at (504) 816-3000 or email [email protected].