The FBI confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the suspect responsible for driving into a crowd of New Year’s Eve revelers in New Orleans on New Year’s Day was carrying an ISIS flag in his vehicle.
According to an FBI media advisory, “An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle, and the FBI is working to determine the subject’s potential associations and affiliations with terrorist organizations.”
Suspect’s Social Media and Concerns
Images from the suspect’s now-deleted X (formerly Twitter) account show that he had expressed concerns about Hollywood’s portrayal of black men. He wrote, “Is anyone making a movie with a black man playing a character that is not submissive, immoral, or silly/immature? Haven’t seen one since Black Panther.”
Other posts revealed his frustrations with the interpretation of the Qur’an.
Weapons and Potential IEDs Found
The investigation took a more alarming turn when weapons and a potential improvised explosive device (IED) were discovered in the suspect’s vehicle. Authorities also found additional potential IEDs in the French Quarter. The FBI’s Special Agent Bomb Technicians are working alongside local law enforcement to determine if these devices are active threats. One IED was detonated by a bomb squad at 8:30 a.m.
“The FBI