President Biden and the first lady are scheduled to head to New Orleans on Monday to honor the victims of the New Year’s Day attack, as the community there mourns the loss of at least 14 people.
A driver intentionally slammed a truck early New Year’s Day into a crowd of people celebrating the new year on Bourbon Street, killing at least 14 and injuring many more, authorities said. The attacker is dead, and FBI Deputy Assistant Director Christopher Raia said the attack was an act of terrorism. The FBI has identified the man responsible as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S.-born citizen from Texas and Army veteran who had posted several videos proclaiming his support for ISIS.
On Monday, Mr. Biden and first lady Jill Biden will attend an interfaith prayer service hosted by the Archdiocese of New Orleans at the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis. There, they will grieve with the families and New Orleans community.
“My heart goes out to the victims and their families who were simply trying to celebrate the holiday,” Mr. Biden said soon after the attack. “There is no justification for violence of any kind, and we will not tolerate any attack on any of our nation’s communities.”
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said Monday that he will meeting with Mr. Biden and he will ask for a presidential disaster declaration.
The New Orleans trip amid comes a snowstorm in Washington, D.C., which is expected to drop up to 12 inches of snow.
Mr. Biden and his administration are in their final days in office, with two weeks to go until Inauguration Day. As the president is in route to New Orleans Monday afternoon, Congress will count the votes of the Electoral College and Vice President Kamala Harris will formally cement Trump’s victory.
Monday also marks four years since Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol, injuring several police officers, in an attempt to stop the counting of the Electoral College votes.
