Federal investigators are now examining whether the deadly truck attack that took place early Wednesday in New Orleans might be connected to the explosion that later occurred outside Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, President Joe Biden said during a national address.
One person died and seven others were wounded in the Las Vegas incident, which also led to the hotel being evacuated. Witnesses reported panic and confusion as guests ran out of the building that afternoon. The situation developed when a Tesla Cybertruck caught fire and exploded outside the hotel premises.
Earlier that same day, just hours before the Las Vegas explosion, another tragic event happened in New Orleans where a truck was used in an early morning attack that killed 15 people and left about 30 more injured.
That incident took place in the French Quarter and quickly drew the attention of law enforcement agencies across different states, especially in Las Vegas.
President Biden, while addressing the public, acknowledged both incidents and explained that intelligence agencies were actively examining the details to determine if there was any link between them.
“We are currently monitoring the explosion that happened near Trump Hotel in Las Vegas involving a Cybertruck,” Biden stated during his speech. “Security officials and the intelligence team are looking into it carefully, especially to assess whether there’s any relation to the earlier event in New Orleans. So far, there is no new information connecting the two situations.”
FBI Identifies Terror Suspect in New Orleans
The Federal Bureau of Investigation described the New Orleans attack as an act of terrorism and confirmed that it occurred at 3:15 a.m. in the city’s popular French Quarter. They identified the suspect as Shamsud Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old American citizen and military veteran originally from Texas.
According to the bureau, Jabbar was reportedly dressed in combat clothing and appeared to be waving an ISIS flag. The FBI shared that video clips from Jabbar’s social media showed him pledging loyalty to ISIS and expressing strong intentions to carry out acts of violence.
Authorities Recover More Dangerous Materials
President Biden mentioned that authorities discovered an ISIS flag inside Jabbar’s rented vehicle, which he used during the attack. The investigation team also uncovered suspicious materials that might be explosives both in the vehicle and at a nearby location.
“He had uploaded footage where he clearly expressed a will to kill,” Biden said. “That same flag was discovered in his car, which had been rented for this violent act. Investigators also found objects that looked like explosives in the vehicle and additional dangerous items not far from the scene.”
As part of ongoing investigations, Biden confirmed that officials were now reviewing details surrounding the Cybertruck explosion outside Trump International Hotel earlier that same day.
According to emergency responders, the driver of the Tesla died during the explosion. Authorities said he had driven the vehicle to the valet section of the hotel moments before it burst into flames. Although at least seven people in the area sustained minor injuries, emergency teams acted quickly to manage the situation and secure the location.
