President-elect Donald Trump denounced the New Orleans truck attack that left 15 people dead in the early hours of New Year’s Day as an “act of pure evil” — and suggested the suspect wasn’t American.
“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,” Trump, 78, posted on his Truth Social. “The crime rate in our country is at a level that nobody has ever seen before.”
Trump issued the tweet shortly after Fox News reported that the truck, bearing Texas license plates, crossed into the US from Mexico at Eagle Pass, Texas, two days before the attack.
Ten people were killed and 35 injured after a driver in a pickup truck ran over revelers on New Year’s Day at around 3:15 a.m.
Follow the latest on the terror attack on New Orleans’ Bourbon Street:
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- Neighbor saw pickup truck used by New Orleans terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar leaving Airbnb hours before rampage
- NY Times reporter who interviewed New Orleans terrorist 10 years ago describes ‘calm, collected’ demeanor
- Killer driver Shamsud-Din Jabbar seen in first photo after he mowed down dozens of New Year’s revelers in New Orleans
A map of the New Year’s Day terror attack in New Orleans.
The FBI has identified 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar from Texas as the suspect behind the rampage. Jabbar is an American citizen and “appears” to have rented the Ford pickup truck he drove, according to the bureau.
“We are working to confirm how the subject came into possession of the vehicle,” the bureau explained.
Jabbar died after exchanging gunfire with authorities, the FBI said. The attack also wounded two law enforcement personnel who were transported to a nearby hospital.
Jabbar was killed by police on Wednesday. Obtained by the NY Post“An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle” and the FBI is still working to figure out whether the suspect had any ties or “affiliations with terrorist organizations,” the bureau explained in a statement.
Initially, the FBI had claimed that the New Orleans attack was “not a terrorist event” despite “improvised explosive devices” having been recovered. However, about an hour after that initial claim Wednesday morning, the FBI later backtracked.
“The FBI is the lead investigative agency, and we are working with our partners to investigate this as an act of terrorism,” the bureau said.
There were weapons and a “potential IED” discovered in the vehicle and the FBI’s Special Agent Bomb technicians are investigating those potential IED devices, per the statement.
Trump described the deadly attack in New Orleans as “pure evil.” REUTERS“Our hearts are with all of the innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department,” Trump added.
“The Trump Administration will fully support the City of New Orleans as they investigate and recover from this act of pure evil!” the incoming president vowed.
Retiring President Biden, who leaves office Jan. 20, also condemned the attack and said the FBI was “investigating this incident as an act of terrorism.”
“I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind,” Biden said.
