HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — Within hours of the Bourbon Street terror attack that left 15 people dead, including the suspect, and more than 30 injured, federal and local law enforcement swarmed a home in north Harris County. They believe it is linked to Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran from Houston who plowed through the French Quarter, intentionally mowing down dozens of innocent victims in an act of terror.
Investigators say Jabbar was “hellbent” on killing New Year’s Day revelers and they’ve uncovered evidence that he didn’t act alone.
Our KHOU 11 news crews arrived at the scene on Hugh Road near Crescent Peak Drive even before investigators. Throughout the afternoon, they’ve seen FBI agents, a Harris County Sheriff’s Office SWAT vehicle and multiple HCSO investigators at the home.
According to the FBI, a federal search warrant was signed Wednesday night and agents were expected to begin searching the home soon.
The FBI in Houston released the following statement.
“FBI Houston and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office are continuing a court-authorized search of a location near the intersection of Hugh Road and Crescent Peak Drive. At this time, no arrests have been made and FBI personnel will be at the scene for several more hours. We are asking members of the public to continue to avoid the area and a temporary flight restriction has been implemented. Throughout this operation, we have deployed specialized teams including our FBI SWAT team, Crisis Negotiators, Special Agent Bomb Technicians, Tactical Operations Center, Evidence Response Team, and a group of counterterrorism investigators. We are grateful for the substantial assistance provided by our partners at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the Houston Police Department, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Since this is an ongoing investigation, we are unable to provide any more information at this time. However, we encourage anyone with information related to the New Orleans attack to submit tips online at www.fbi.gov/bourbonstreetattack or by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324).
The home is partially hidden behind a tall gate with sheet metal covering it. Residents in the area said it’s a rental property with multiple mobile homes around it. They were surprised to learn the man behind the terror attack lived in their area.
“I just heard about this and I’m scared because I have kids in my home,” a resident who asked to remain anonymous told us.
Most of the residents said they’d never seen Jabbar before but we did find one neighbor who knew him.
“He was a normal person. He was a simple person,” the man said.
Residents were later asked to clear the area.
Reporters were also moved away from the home and to a nearby staging area.
Truck Bourbon Street suspect drove was rented in Pasadena
We’ve also learned that Jabbar rented the pickup truck from a ride-sharing app.
The truck owner, who lives in the Pasadena area, confirmed it was rented out to someone through the Turo app but declined to comment further.
A Turo executive said they are cooperating with the FBI.
“We are heartbroken to learn that one of our host’s vehicles was involved in this awful incident,” the company said in a statement. “We are actively partnering with the FBI. We are not currently aware of anything in this guest’s background that would have identified him as a trust and safety threat to us at the time of the reservation.”
FBI investigating possible link to ISIS
The FBI quickly took over the investigation in New Orleans after police found evidence that Jabbar may be linked to ISIS or other terrorist cells. Here’s what they’ve confirmed so far.
- Islamic State group flag found on pickup trailer hitch after Jabbar plowed through crowds on Bourbon Street
- Pipe bombs discovered hidden in coolers in the vehicle wired for remote detonation
- Additional potential explosive devices located in the French Quarter
- Surveillance footage shows three men and a woman placing improvised explosive device
- Handgun and AR-style rifle also recovered from Jabbar’s pickup after shootout
- Attack represents latest example of vehicle used as weapon for mass violence
- A barrier system designed to prevent vehicle attacks was undergoing repairs in preparation for the Super Bowl, which is being played in New Orleans in February.
- If confirmed as ISIS-inspired, it would be the deadliest such assault on U.S. soil in years
President Joe Biden said Jabbar had posted a video on social media indicating he was inspired by ISIS and expressed a “desire to kill.”
Divorce records indicate Jabbar had financial problems
In 2020, a judge granted a temporary restraining order against Jabbar at the request of his estranged wife. The couple had at least one child before they divorced.
Divorce records also show that in January 2022, Shamsud-Din Jabbar was $27,000 behind on house payments. He wanted to quickly finalize the divorce.
“I have exhausted all means of bringing the loan current other than a loan modification, leaving us no alternative but to sell the house or allow it to go into foreclosure,” he wrote in an email to his now-ex-wife’s attorney.
His businesses were struggling, too. One, Blue Meadow Properties LLC, lost about $28,000 over the previous year. Two others he started, Jabbar Real Estate Holdings LLC and BDQ L3C, weren’t worth anything.
The divorce was approved in September 2024.