President Joe Biden on Wednesday evening called the deadly vehicle attack in New Orleans "despicable" but urged Americans not to jump to any conclusions, even as he said the suspect shared just before the attack he was inspired by ISIS.
Biden's remarks came after the death toll climbed to 15 in what authorities were investigating as a terrorist attack in the city's famed French Quarter. Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, of Texas, drove into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street, authorities said.
"Our hearts are with the people of New Orleans after the despicable attack," Biden said, speaking from Camp David.
He added, "To all people of New Orleans, know I grieve with you and the nation grieves with you."
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Biden thanked law enforcement officers for stopping the attacker "in his tracks" before he could continue the carnage.
Biden confirmed the suspect was an American citizen born in Texas who served in the Army on active duty for many years and was in the Reserves until a few years ago. Just before the attack, he posted on social media that he was inspired by ISIS and had a "desire to kill," Biden said.
Even so, Biden encouraged Americans not to "jump to conclusions" and said the investigation is still active.
Additionally, he said, investigators were tracking the explosion of a Tesla Cybertruck outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas, and looking into whether the two incidents were linked.
Biden did not answer shouted questions from reporters, including whether he had spoken to President-elect Donald Trump.
