A “wonderful” British man who was among the victims of the New Orleans attack in the early hours of New Year’s day attack has been named.
Edward Pettifer, 31, was one of the 14 people killed in the attack, the Metropolitan Police confirmed. In a statement, his devastated family described the London man as “a wonderful son, brother, grandson, nephew and a friend to so many,” reports the Mirror.
They added: “We will all miss him terribly. Our thoughts are with the other families who have lost their family members due to this terrible attack. We request that we can grieve the loss of Ed as a family in private.”
Dozens of people were also injured when 42-year-old army veteran Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s rented SUV rammed into a crowd on the state’s famous Bourbon Street. He was shot and killed by cops after what they described as a “very intentional” act.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said the attack was a “premeditated” and “evil” act of terrorism, adding that Jabbar was “100% inspired by ISIS”, also known as Islamic State. Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick said the suspect was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and damage he did” and had driven deliberately into the revellers before opening fire.
On Wednesday, the FBI revealed they did not believe Jabbar was “solely responsible” for the attack. Assistant special agent in charge Alethea Duncan said: “We are aggressively running down every lead, including those of his known associates.
“That’s why we need the public’s help. We are asking if anybody has any interactions with Shamsud-Din Jabbar in the last 72 hours that you contact us. The FBI is asking the public’s help. We’re asking anyone who has information.”
Louisiana Rep Troy Carter added: “There is an ongoing investigation which limits our ability to talk much more than that, other than to clearly say that this coward did not act alone, and our resources are on the ground turning over every stone. There will not be a rock big enough for them to hide.”
Investigators have since reviewed footage reportedly showing three men and a woman placing an improvised explosive device in connection with the attack, according to a Louisiana State Police bulletin obtained by The Associated Press.
The FBI also said Jabbar had torched a house he was renting by planting accelerants throughout the building in an attempt to destroy evidence – but the fire had extinguished itself before it could spread to other rooms, according to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms.
Police found bomb-making materials and a suspected rifle silencer at the New Orleans property, and at Jabbar’s home in Houston, Texas. An Islamic State group flag was also found on his car’s trailer hitch following the attack.
Guns and pipe bombs, which were concealed within coolers, were also discovered by investigators, according to a Louisiana State Police intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press. Both devices were wired for remote detonation, and a corresponding remote control was discovered inside the suspect’s truck, the bulletin said.
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