The FBI says bomb-making materials were found at a New Orleans rental property connected to Shamsud-din Jabbar—the suspect in Wednesday morning’s truck attack–as well as his residence in Houston, Texas.
Authorities said the Mandeville Street property caught fire shortly after 5 a.m. Wednesday, about two hours after Jabbar drove his vehicle into the crowd and was shot and killed by police.
Fourteen people died. The FBI said it identified 35 people who were injured, and that number is expected to increase as more people seek medical attention.
The ATF determined Jabbar set the fire deliberately. He was the only one with access to the residence when the fire was set. He put accelerants around the home and lit a small fire in the hallway, hoping to destroy the evidence. But the fire was smoldering by the time the New Orleans Fire Department arrived, enabling the recovery of bomb-making materials and a possible silencer for a rifle, the FBI said.
The FBI said the devices were rendered safe and collected for further processing.
Investigators believe Jabbar planned to use a transmitter to set off two improvised explosive devices (IEDs) he placed on Bourbon Street.
Investigators have been analyzing weapons, clothing and other evidence recovered from multiple scenes, while interviewing witnesses and reviewing hundreds of hours of video from street cameras.
More than 200 additional personnel were brought in to aid in the investigation and support victims, the FBI said.
The agency said it’s received nearly 1,000 tips from people in New Orleans and outside the state.
