By Baptist Message staff
NEW ORLEANS (LBM) – City, state and federal officials, during a news conference Jan. 1, praised the response by law enforcement following a terrorist attack on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street and promised a safe environment for the Sugar Bowl, which has been postponed to Jan. 2.
“We are committed, no doubt, to uncovering all details surrounding this tragedy,” said New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. “And we’re taking every necessary step to put even more safety procedures in place, especially given the nature of the investigation.”
Around 3:17 a.m. on Jan. 1, a man identified as U.S. born citizen 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar, drove a white Ford F-150 Lightning EV truck around a police blockade and slammed into revelers before being shot dead by police.
Authorities said at least 15 people, two from Louisiana, have now died including 28-year old Lafayette native Tiger Bech, 37-year-old Reggie Hunter, a father of two, and 30 sustained injuries. Multiple individuals were reportedly struck before the vehicle crashed.
Once the vehicle stopped, the suspect reportedly opened fire on responding officers, who then returned fire. Two officers sustained injuries and were transported via emergency medical services to a local hospital and were last listed in stable condition, while the suspect died.
The FBI said an ISIS flag was in the vehicle, and they are working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations. Jabbar, a U.S. citizen, is a former Army veteran and the FBI insinuated he may not have acted alone in the attack.
Weapons (a hand gun and a rifle) and investigators found multiple improvised explosive devices, including two pipe bombs that were concealed within coolers and wired for remote detonation, according to a Louisiana State Police intelligence bulletin obtained by the Associated Press.
Two IEDs were also located in the French Quarter and disabled by members of the FBI bomb squad. Bomb technicians and NOPD spent most of the day canvasing the French Quarter for any other IEDs.
COOPERATIVE EFFORT
Cantrell praised the cooperation by all involved in the response and ongoing investigation.
“I want to thank this unified team,” she continued pointing to a multitude of people surrounding her. “We’re leaning in. We will be relentless, and we will do everything that it takes to render real justice this team will. I want to also just thank our citizens for your heart-felt prayers. New Orleans is a world class city, and I can say that I’ve heard from world leaders all this morning and up until now, in addition to my brother and sister mayors across this country. They’re calling, they’re responding, and they’re standing with the city of New Orleans. And what they always say and want me to reiterate, they understand the resilience of this community, and we’re strong in that regard. And I will say, second to none.”
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said he and others have, since October, worked to address security concerns leading up to the Super Bowl, scheduled to be played Feb. 9 inside the city’s Caesars Superdome, and Mardi Gras festivities, taking place in January, February and March. Landry said he previously planned to issue an emergency declaration that would allow local, state and federal agencies to bring all necessary resources to ensure the city is safe for those events. In light of the terrorist attack, Landry said he has moved the date of the order to Jan. 1, and Landry said he mobilized about 100 members of the National Guard in a military police unit to help protect New Orleans and the Sugar Bowl while the investigation of the attack continues.
“It is important for our citizens and guests of this state to know that we are doing everything we can to secure their safety in the city,” he said. “We want to make it clear – the Superdome and the surrounding area is safe, but I’ve always said that the safety of this entire city is something that is always paramount to me.”
SUGAR BOWL POSTPONMENT
Sugar Bowl Committee CEO Jeff Hundley shared after consulting with all parties involved that the Sugar Bowl, originally scheduled to take place Jan. 1 at 7:45 p.m., would be delayed by a day.
“The Sugar Bowl committee has a 90-year history of being a good corporate citizen for the city of New Orleans, and that’s why this tragedy hurts us as much as anybody right now,” he said. “So our condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to the victims and their families as we all work through this.
“Of course, anytime we have a major event in the city of New Orleans, public safety is paramount, and we have full faith and confidence in the governor and the mayor and all the assets, the federal, state and local resources that they’ve applied to this event, so that we can ultimately bring those responsible to justice and carry on with the major events that we have in front of us,” he said.
Rep. Troy Carter said the decision to postpone the game was not done lightly.
“It was done with one single thought in mind – public safety, making sure that the citizens and visitors of this great city, not only for the Sugar Bowl, but for every event in Louisiana, that you will be safe and we will use every resource possible, as the governor has said, as the mayor has said, and every law enforcement agent here has assured us,” he said. “Our energy, our commitment, will be to make sure that you are safe now and for every event in the future.”
‘OBJECTIVE EVIL’
“For those people who don’t believe in objective evil, all you have to do is look at what happened in our city early this morning,” Sen. John Kennedy said. “I’m here because these are my people. I’m here because these are my people’s friends. I’m here because there are a lot of Louisianians that are scared tonight. I don’t want them to be.”
Kennedy said that he has talked with the Secretary of Homeland Security and told him that he expects the federal government to put its full force and resources behind the investigation.
“Here’s what I want to ask from the federal government,” he said. “Catch these people. Catch these people, and then tell the American people the truth.
“After we get to the bottom of this, they need to tell the American people the truth, and the people of New Orleans the truth, and the people of America the truth.”
PRAYERS NEEDED
Throughout the day on Jan. 1, Louisiana Baptists including House Speaker Mike Johnson continued to encourage others to pray for the situation.
“The vicious attack on innocent people celebrating the New Year in New Orleans early this morning was an act of pure evil, and justice must be swift for anyone who was involved,” Johnson, a member of Cypress Baptist Church, Benton, wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter). “Please join us in praying for the victims, their families, and the first responders and investigators on the scene.”
Fred Luter, pastor with Franklin Avenue Baptist Church, New Orleans, told the Baptist Message that “the hearts of everyone in the City of New Orleans are burdened by the tragic loss of life and act of terrorism that happened on New Year’s Day on Bourbon Street. Prayers are needed and requested for our city as well as those families who lost loved ones in New Orleans this morning.”
Dean Ross, pastor with Family Church NOLA, Kenner, said that New Orleanians are resilient.
“While we as God’s people don’t condone many of the acts that happen regularly on Bourbon Street, no one deserves to lose their life or suffer by such a horrific act of terrorism,” he said. “Whenever we experience dark moments in this city I’m reminded of Christ’s work & promise from John 1:5: ‘The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’
“Darkness exists because of the absence of light,” he continued. “Pray for us as the church to shine the light of Christ’s love in the midst of such darkness. Pray for the church of New Orleans to be the city of a hill needed for such a time as this.”
Dennis Watson, lead pastor with Celebration Church, a multi-site church in the New Orleans metropolitan area and the Northshore, said his church is grieved about the tragedy.
“We are praying for the family members of those who lost loved ones in that tragedy, for healing for those who were injured, and for guidance for our government and law enforcement leaders as they seek to lead our city to recover from this incident,” Watson said. “And we are praying that the Lord will use Christians and Churches in our region to bring help, hope and healing to all of the people who’ve been traumatized to some degree by this tragedy. Satanists refer to New Orleans as ‘the city where hell reigns,’ but we are praying for God to do such a great work in our region that one day it will be known as ‘the city where heaven reigns.'”
