President Biden said Wednesday that his reaction to the New Orleans attack that killed 10 people and injured dozens of others was “one of anger and frustration.”
Speaking to reporters on the tarmac before heading to Camp David, the president declined to comment further on specifics, saying, “I’m not going to say anything until I get all the facts in front of me.”
A Texas man, whom law enforcement has identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, drove a pickup truck into the crowds on New Orleans’s Bourbon Street in the early hours of New Year’s Day. Jabbar was killed while exchanging fire with police.
The FBI said it is investigating the mass casualty event as an “act of terrorism.” An ISIS flag, weapons and a suspected improvised explosive device (IED) were found in the truck Jabbar drove. More potential IEDs were found in the French Quarter.
Biden said in a statement earlier Wednesday he had been briefed on the matter and would continue to receive updates throughout the day.
“I have directed my team to ensure every resource is available as federal, state, and local law enforcement work assiduously to get to the bottom of what happened as quickly as possible and to ensure that there is no remaining threat of any kind,” he said.
“My heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday,” Biden added. “There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
