Death Toll in New Orleans Rises to 15; FBI: ISIS Flag Found in Attacker's Truck

News agencies have reported that the death toll from the truck attack on a crowd in New Orleans has risen to 15. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released a statement identifying the attacker as a 42-year-old man named Shamsuddin Jabbar, an American citizen from Texas, and stated that an ISIS flag was found in his truck. According to this statement, the truck used to run over people appears to have been rented, and the FBI is investigating any possible connections between the attacker and terrorist organizations. After hitting the crowd, the attacker exited the truck and opened fire on local police officers, injuring two of them, who were subsequently taken to the hospital. The police returned fire, killing the assailant. The FBI's statement also noted the discovery of the ISIS flag in the vehicle and confirmed that investigations are ongoing to determine any potential links and affiliations of the attacker with 'terrorist organizations.' The FBI also announced the discovery of weapons and an improvised explosive device in the attacker's vehicle, stating that additional 'potential explosives' were found in an area known as the 'French Quarter' of New Orleans, and efforts to investigate and then neutralize them are underway. Reuters reported, citing the FBI, that other individuals may be involved in this attack, and the FBI believes that the suspect in the New Orleans truck attack is not the only one responsible for this incident. Meanwhile, ABC News reported that the death toll from this attack has risen to 15. Previously, Donald Trump, the President-elect of the United States, warned about the danger of criminals entering the U.S. in response to the deadly incident in New Orleans on Wednesday. In a message posted on his social media account 'Truth Social' just hours after the event, Trump referenced his previous warnings that 'criminals entering [the U.S.] are much worse than the criminals we have in our country,' stating that Democrats and fake news media constantly denied this claim, but 'it has been proven to be true.' Trump described the level of crime in the U.S. as 'unprecedented.' In his message, he expressed condolences to 'all innocent victims and their loved ones, including the brave officers of the New Orleans Police Department,' emphasizing the full support of the Trump administration for New Orleans during the investigation of this 'absolutely wicked' act. Earlier, CBS reported, citing two federal officials, that the suspect in the 'terrorist act' early Wednesday in New Orleans, which resulted in the deaths of 10 people and injuries to at least 36 others, is a 42-year-old man named Shamsuddin Jabbar. Meanwhile, CNN reported, citing two law enforcement sources, that the suspect was carrying an ISIS flag at the time of the incident. One of these sources also told CNN that several suspicious explosive devices were found inside a cooler in the truck used in the attack. Officials in New Orleans had previously announced that the 'deliberate' running over of a large crowd in the city by a speeding truck had resulted in at least 10 deaths and over 30 injuries. The New Orleans police chief stated at a press conference that a truck driver drove into a crowd early Wednesday morning, coinciding with New Year's celebrations, intending to run over a large number of people. According to officials, the truck driver was killed after exchanging gunfire and injuring two police officers, and investigations into the attacker's motives are ongoing. The mayor of New Orleans has called the incident a 'terrorist attack,' and the FBI has begun investigations into it. Joe Biden, the President of the United States, expressed condolences to the victims of this incident and their families in a statement, describing it as a 'horrific event' and stating that the FBI is leading the investigation. The U.S. President emphasized that 'any form of violence' is unjustifiable and that the United States will not tolerate any attacks on 'the communities of this country.' Earlier, the White House had announced support for the mayor of New Orleans, stating that Joe Biden, the President of the United States, was informed about this 'horrific news.' This deadly attack occurred in one of the tourist-heavy neighborhoods of New Orleans, which attracts large crowds with its music and numerous bars. About two weeks ago, a Saudi citizen killed five people, including a 9-year-old child, and injured over 200 others by running over a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany.