The death toll in New Orleans from the terrorist attack has risen to 15.

On the night of January 1st, in New Orleans, Louisiana, a man deliberately drove his car into a crowd celebrating the New Year. Bourbon Street, known as the French Quarter, is lined with numerous bars and entertainment venues. On New Year's Eve, the street was packed with revelers.

According to the latest reports, at least 15 people have died and dozens have been injured. Police Chief Ann Kirkpatrick stated that after the crash, the assailant fired at police officers, injuring two of them, before being shot dead in return fire.

The authorities have identified the suspect as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar from Texas, an army veteran. Prior to the attack, Jabbar recorded several videos claiming he had joined ISIS. He also served in the U.S. Army from 2007 to 2020 as a personnel and IT specialist and was deployed to Afghanistan, according to CNN.

A flag of the Islamic State group was found on the vehicle's trailer, the FBI reported. The bureau is trying to determine whether Jabbar was connected to any terrorist organizations, AP informs.

U.S. President Joe Biden stated that the attacker posted a video on social media indicating that during the incident, he was inspired by ISIS ideologies and felt a "desire to kill." The President expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and the injured.

"Horrific news from New Orleans: happy people celebrating were killed or injured by blind hatred. We mourn together with the families and friends of the victims and wish all the injured a swift recovery," wrote German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on social media platform X.

"I am deeply disturbed by the deliberate attack on those celebrating the New Year in New Orleans. There is no justification for such violence. As the authorities continue their investigation, we stand in full solidarity with the victims and their families during this tragic time," said the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell.

"New Orleans, so dear to the hearts of the French, has been struck by terrorism. Our thoughts are with the families of the deceased and injured, as well as with the American people whose grief we share," wrote French President Emmanuel Macron on X.

"We in Ukraine are shocked by the news of the attack in New Orleans, which resulted in innocent lives lost and many injured. We believe that those responsible for this horrific attack will be held accountable. Violence, terrorism, and any other threats to human life have no place in our world and cannot be tolerated," expressed condolences from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Donald Trump used the tragedy as an opportunity to remind about his anti-immigration policies.

"Crime in our country is at an unprecedented level," Trump wrote. "We all mourn for the innocent victims along with their loved ones, including the families of the New Orleans Police Department officers."

"When I said that criminals coming to the U.S. from abroad are far worse than those in our country, Democrats and fake news journalists constantly contradicted me, but I was right," Trump added.

Background. It is worth recalling that recently, just before Christmas, a car drove into a market in Magdeburg (Germany), killing five people, including a child. The terrorist expressed support for the far-right party "Alternative for Germany" on his social media.