New Orleans Attack: Bomb-Making Allegedly Traced To Airbnb Rental, Sugar Bowl Postponed

Explosive devices connected to the New Orleans attack were made at an Airbnb rented specifically "for that purpose," Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said on Wednesday.

A house fire broke out on Wednesday morning, which investigators believe is linked to the production of these devices. However, Murrill did not provide further details on how authorities connected the Airbnb to the attack, CNN reported.

New Orleans City Council member Jean-Paul Morrell told CNN that the suspect had stayed in an Airbnb before the attack.

The suspect used a pickup truck to ram into a crowd celebrating New Year's on Bourbon Street. The truck was rented through a non-traditional vehicle rental service.

"The vehicle was rented off of a vehicle rental site that wasn't a traditional one. The individual, from what we understand, was in an Airbnb, and that's where they, I guess, stayed before they came and instituted the attack," Morrell said.

FBI Searches Location in Houston

The FBI has started searching a location in Houston that they believe is connected to the suspect.

FBI said their office in Houston and the Harris County Sheriff's Office are involved in the investigation. Authorities are expected to be on the scene for several more hours. However, no arrests have been made yet.

Earlier, the FBI mentioned they were waiting for federal approval to search a home tied to the suspected attacker. The neighborhood has been evacuated, FBI stated.

FBI to Brief Congress on Thursday

According to a congressional aide, the FBI will give an unclassified briefing on the New Orleans attack to the relevant House and Senate oversight committees, as well as the Louisiana delegation, tomorrow at 10 a.m. ET.

Key details about the attack and suspect:

Attack on New Year's Day

At least 15 people were killed, and dozens were injured when the suspect drove a pickup truck into a crowd during New Year's celebrations on Bourbon Street. The attack took place in New Orleans' French Quarter, close to the site of The Sugar Bowl, a college football game that was scheduled for the same day.

Suspect Identified as Army Veteran

The suspect has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran from Texas.

The FBI confirmed that he was killed in a gunfight with officers. An ISIS flag was found in his vehicle. Authorities also revealed that the suspect had made videos before the attack, claiming to have joined ISIS.

Officials stated that Jabbar recorded a series of videos before the deadly attack, in which he claimed to have joined ISIS. The videos appear to have been filmed while driving at night.

Jabbar served in the US Army from 2007 to 2020. He worked as a human resources and information technology specialist, serving on active duty from March 2007 to January 2015. He was deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010, according to an Army spokesperson.

Sugar Bowl Postponed

Due to public safety concerns, The Sugar Bowl football game was postponed for 24 hours, according to the event's CEO.