A New York Occasions journalist mentioned there have been no “red flags” after discovering that 10 years in the past he interviewed the US military vet who killed 15 folks in a New Orleans crowd early New Yr’s Day.
The suspect, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, slammed a rented Ford pickup truck flying an ISIS flag right into a celebratory crowd early Wednesday morning.
The suspect killed a minimum of 15 folks and injured dozens extra in what the FBI is investigating as a terrorist assault.
Jabbar — who had been residing in a run-down trailer park the place sheep, goats and chickens have been saved within the yard, per The Publish’s unique reporting — was killed in a shoot-off with cops.
An uncovered 10-year-old article for a university newspaper revealed that Sean Keenan, an Atlanta-based journalist and freelance contributor for The New York Occasions, had interviewed Jabbar whereas the 2 have been attending Georgia State College in 2015.
“My head was spinning, and what little I remember about that interview was a very cool, calm and collected guy,” Keenan instructed CNN’s Paula Newton on Thursday. “Nothing about his character threw any red flags.”
Keenan recalled, nevertheless, that Jabbar had a “pretty reserved demeanor” and was “a little bit distant” – “in the way you sometimes see from veterans that have had difficult deployments.”
Jabbar studied at Georgia State from 2015 to 2017, graduating with a bachelor’s diploma in pc info techniques, in accordance with college officers.
He had served within the military for eight years, deployed to Afghanistan after which served within the military reserve till 2020, army officers mentioned on Wednesday.
The suspect spoke with Keenan in 2015 about his struggles to regulate to civilian life as a pupil after leaving the army.
The method for veterans to get their tuition and advantages by means of the GI Invoice was convoluted, and the Division of Veterans Affairs didn’t make it straightforward, Jabbar instructed Keenan.
It was troublesome to talk with others with out defaulting to his army jargon, the suspect added.
Observe the newest on the fear assault on New Orleans’ Bourbon Road:
“You don’t know how to speak without using these terms, and you’re not sure what terms are used outside the military,” Jabbar mentioned.
Chris Pousson, a retired Air Drive veteran who was mates with Jabbar in center and highschool, mentioned the suspect “made good grades,” dressed effectively and didn’t trigger hassle.
When he reconnected with the suspect on Fb years later, after Jabbar left the army, Pousson seen a dramatic shift in Jabbar’s conduct.
“He was never threatening any violence, but you could see that he had gotten really passionate about his faith,” Pousson instructed The New York Occasions.
Investigators are trying into whether or not Jabbar acted alone within the assault after a number of explosive pipe bombs have been discovered within the truck and all through the French Quarter, officers mentioned.
Surveillance video appeared to bathe different folks with the suspect as he planted the bombs, they added.
“We do not believe that Jabbar was solely responsible,” FBI Particular Agent Alethea Duncan instructed reporters Wednesday afternoon.
Nevertheless, regulation enforcement sources later mentioned the folks within the video had been cleared of wrongdoing.
