What we know about the suspect in the New Orleans attack
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(NEW ORLEANS, LA) — The suspect in a deadly attack on New Year’s revelers in New Orleans has been identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen from Texas, according to the FBI.
At least 10 people were killed and dozens injured after a man drove a Ford pickup truck through a crowd on Bourbon Street at a high rate of speed early Wednesday, authorities said.
Authorities are working to determine whether the deceased suspect had any affiliation with terrorist organizations after an ISIS flag was located in the vehicle, the FBI said.
After barreling through the crowd over a three-block stretch, the suspect allegedly got out of the truck wielding an assault rifle and opened fire on police officers, law enforcement officials briefed on the incident told ABC News. Officers returned fire, killing the suspect, police said. At least two police officers were shot and wounded, authorities said.
“This man was trying to run over as many people as he possibly could,” New Orleans Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said at a press briefing on Wednesday. “It was not a DUI situation. This is more complex and more serious.”
She said the driver was “hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.”
Weapons and a “potential IED” were located in the subject’s vehicle, according to the FBI, which is leading the investigation.
“Other potential IEDs were also located in the French Quarter,” the FBI said in a statement. “The FBI’s Special Agent Bomb Technicians are working with our law enforcement partners to determine if any of these devices are viable and they will work to render those devices safe.”
New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell described the horrific incident as a “terrorist attack” and the FBI said it was being investigated as an act of terror.
Investigators are probing whether the suspect acted alone or had help from others in planning and executing the attack, Jason Williams, the district attorney of Orleans Parish, which includes New Orleans, told ABC News.
The truck used in the attack appeared to be a Ford F-150 Lightning, an electric vehicle. It appears the truck was rented through the Turo app — a carsharing company, according to Rodrigo Diaz, the owner of the truck.
Diaz told ABC News he rented the truck to an individual through the app and is currently talking to the FBI. He declined further comment.
Diaz’s wife, Dora Diaz, told ABC News that she and her husband are devastated by the incident.
“My husband rents cars through the Turo app. I can’t tell you anything else. I’m here with my kids, and this is devastating,” Dora Diaz said.
(NEW YORK) — President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in his New York hush money case after a jury in May convicted him on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Judge Juan Merchan has signaled his intention to sentence Trump to an “unconditional discharge” — allowing Trump to avoid prison, fines or probation — out of respect for the principle of presidential immunity, which takes effect on Jan. 20 once Trump becomes president.
Trump, who has maintained his innocence throughout the case, has blasted the prosecution as politically motivated.
Merchan sentences Trump to unconditional discharge
Before sentencing Trump, Judge Merchan emphasizes that the “protections afforded to the office of the president” apply only to that office, “not the occupant of the office.”
“It is through that lens and that reality that this court must determine a lawful sentence,” Merchan says.
“Sir, I wish you god speed as you assume your second term in office,” Merchan tells Trump in conclusion.
“This court has determined that the only lawful sentence … is an unconditional discharge,” Merchan says.
The hearing over, Trump logs off his remote connection.
‘I have been treated very, very unfairly,’ says Trump
Trump concludes his statement by saying, “I have been treated very, very unfairly, and thank you very much.”
His tone for all his remarks was very calm and balanced — he said it plainly as if he was reading a speech. He never appeared to raise his voice.
Judge Merchan is now explaining his reasoning for his unconditional discharge sentence.
Trump is looking directly into the camera as Merchan explains his sentence.
“Never before has this court been presented with such a unique and remarkable set of circumstances,” Merchan says. “This has been a truly extraordinary case.”
Merchan is now remarking on the unremarkable nature of the trial, no different than any other trial that has taken place in this storied courthouse.
But the circumstances of this sentence are “extraordinary,” Merchan remarks regarding presidential immunity.
‘This has been a very terrible experience,’ Trump says
“This has been a very terrible experience,” Trump says, addressing the court on the large monitor.
“I think it’s been a tremendous setback for New York and the New York court system,” he said.
Trump is now going after a former assistant district attorney who resigned from the office before his indictment was brought.
He blames accountants for logging the hush payment to Stormy Daniels a legal expense.
“It’s incredible actually,” Trump says about his actions that prompted his indictment, arguing he correctly labeled Cohen’s payments as legal expenses.
Trump says this was a case Alvin Bragg did not want to bring, as the DA stared straight ahead expressionless, watching the feed.
“It’s an injustice of justice,” Trump says about the the case, citing a series of legal experts who criticized the case.
“It’s been a political witch hunt, it was damage my reputation so I would lose the election,” Trump says, boasting how he got more votes than any Republican and won all seven swing states.
Judge Merchan is calmly watching Trump speak with his hand on his chin.
‘Case should not have been brought,’ Trump lawyer says
“I very, very much disagree with what the government just said,” Trump attorney Todd Blanche says.
Blanche says Trump has been “fighting” this case to this day, and that they disagree that this was “an appropriate case to be brought.”
“It was not,” Blanche says.
“We intend on appealing,” Blanche confirms.
“Legally this case should not have been brought,” Blanche says, with Trump nodding his head in agreement. “The majority of the American people agree that this case should not have been brought.”
“Its a sad day for President Trump and his family and his friends. But its also, in Counsel’s view, a sad day for this country,” he says. “This was brought by a district attorney who promised he would go after President Trump if elected and that’s sad.”
Trump engaged in a ‘direct attack on the rule of law’: Prosecutors
“Instead of preserving, protecting and defending our established system of criminal justice, the once and future president engaged in a campaign to undermine its legitimacy,” prosecutor Josh Steinglass says.
When Steinglass brings up what he said was Trump’s “conduct before during and after the trial,” Trump crosses his arms and leans back. He shakes his head “no” when Steinglass mentions his efforts to “undermine its legitimacy.”
“Far from expressing any kind of remorse,” Trump has “bred disdain for our judicial institutions and the rule of law. He did so “to serve his own ends,” Steinglass says. Steinglass says Trump’s conduct surrounding the trial, particularly attacks on the judge and others involved in the case, “constitutes a direct attack on the rule of law”
Steinglass also calls out Trump for having “bred disdain for our judicial systems and the rule of law” and for being “unrelenting in his unsubstantiated attacks” on the court and prosecutions, including public threats to retaliate against them.
“This defendant has caused enduring damage to the criminal justice system, and has put officers of the court in harms way,” he says. “This defendant has caused enduring damage to public perception of the criminal justice system and put its officers of the court in harm’s way.”
Prosecution recommends ‘unconditional discharge’
The judge is now giving both parties the opportunity to speak.
The people recommend a sentence of an unconditional discharge, prosecutor Josh Steinglass says.
Trump appears to be taking notes.
“The verdict in this case was unanimous and decisive and it must be respected,” Steinglass says.
Judge confirms Trump agreed to appear virtually
Judge Merchan begins by confirming that Trump is waiving his right to appear in person and that both parties have reviewed the court’s probation report. Trump also attended his probation interview virtually last year.
Merchan asks both sides if they received copies of the probation report. They both say they did.
Trump’s attorney Todd Blanche raises one small issue that the procedural history and information about other cases is in the report is “not up to date.”
DA Bragg, Trump’s attorney arrive in courtroom
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and attorneys on his staff have entered the courtroom.
Prosecutors Joshua Steinglass, Christopher Conroy, and Susan Hoffinger are seated at counsel table. Seven other members of the DA’s office are also seated in the courtroom.
Trump’s attorney Emil Bove just arrived as well.
Security light at courthouse with Trump attending virtually
With Trump attending the hearing virtually from Florida, security is notably light in the lower Manhattan courthouse ahead of today’s 9:30 a.m. ET sentencing hearing.
The table where Trump and his lawyers normally sat for the trial last year is empty; instead, Trump will appear on the four flat-screen televisions mounted on the courtroom walls.
There are a few changes to the courtroom itself since Trump’s conviction seven months ago. The gallery is fully occupied and so longer subject to the security restrictions that limited its capacity, and the sketch artists are seated in the jury box. The tile floors in the courtroom are glaringly white, appearing to have been cleaned or replaced since the trial last year.
Trump to be sentenced after SCOTUS fails to halt hearing
President-elect Donald Trump will appear virtually from his Mar-a-Lago estate when he is sentenced this morning in a New York courtroom, after the Supreme Court rejected his eleventh-hour bid to block his sentencing from taking place.
Trump had asked the nation’s highest court to halt his criminal sentencing on the grounds that he was entitled to immunity as president-elect.
In a Thursday night ruling, Chief Justice John Roberts and Trump-appointee Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberal justices to deny Trump the relief he sought, while Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh indicated they would have granted Trump’s request to halt his sentencing.
(SPOKANE, Wash.) –A 40-year-old man attacked a priest during a church service in Spokane, Washington, on Tuesday night, according to officials.
Around 350 to 400 people had gathered at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in downtown Spokane on Tuesday for the second night of novena, a tradition of gathering for prayer for nine days or nine weeks, when the man, identified as Joshua James Sommers, allegedly attacked the priest.
Security camera footage shows Sommers leaving his pew, rushing up to the altar near the end of the service and attempting to strike Rev. David Gaines in the face. Gaines was able to pin down Sommers, with other staff and churchgoers running up to help.
In the footage, Sommers lets out screams, and Gaines continues to say, “It’s OK, just calm down.”
Security guards quickly came to assist, and the Spokane Police Department was also notified immediately of the incident, according to the church. Gaines was not harmed in the attack.
Father Darrin Connall, who was kneeling at the altar when the attack occurred, told ABC News the church has not seen “anything quite this serious.”
“All of us were pretty shaken,” Connall said. “You don’t expect to see something like that when you’re gathering together to pray and worship.”
Once Sommers was escorted out by police, Connall said the entire group stopped the service and prayed for him.
“Whatever demons he was struggling with needed to be healed,” Connall said.
Sommers was arrested on misdemeanor assault charges, and also has a previous record of harming others. In 2023, Sommers was charged with third-degree assault after attacking an employee at a mental health facility. Sommers, who was a patient at this facility, allegedly punched the employee multiple times and stole their keys to try and escape, according to the affidavit on those charges.
Sommers appeared in court Wednesday on assault charges, along with the outstanding warrant from his previous assault. He will return to court later this month and remains behind bars.
ABC News’ Irving Last and Jennifer Watts contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil — a leader in Columbia University’s encampment movement — on Saturday night, claiming that his student visa had been revoked, according to attorney Amy Greer in a statement to ABC News.
However, Khalil is in the United States on a green card and not on a student visa, Greer said Sunday.
Despite informing agents about his legal status, ICE detained him, she said.
At one point during a phone call with agents, they hung up on Greer, a representative of her law firm told ABC News.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin addressed Khalil’s arrest on Sunday night, saying, “On March 9, 2025, in support of President Trump’s executive orders prohibiting anti-Semitism, and in coordination with the Department of State, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a former Columbia University graduate student. Khalil led activities aligned to Hamas, a designated terrorist organization.”
“ICE and the Department of State are committed to enforcing President Trump’s executive orders and to protecting U.S. national security,” she added.
Secretary of State Marc Rubio also shared an article about Khalil on Sunday night and posted on X, “We will be revoking the visas and/or green cards of Hamas supporters in America so they can be deported.”
Greer is challenging Khalil’s arrest but has been unable to locate where he is being held, she said.
“Overnight we filed a habeas corpus petition on Mahmoud’s behalf challenging the validity of his arrest and detention,” she said. “Currently we do not know Mahmoud’s precise whereabouts.”
Khalil’s wife, who is eight months pregnant and a U.S. citizen, was unable to find him at an ICE facility in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where he was purportedly transferred, Greer said — adding that he might have been transferred to Louisiana.
“ICE’s arrest and detention of Mahmoud follows the U.S. government’s open repression of student activism and political speech, specifically targeting students at Columbia University for criticism of Israel’s assault on Gaza,” she said. “The U.S. government has made clear that they will use immigration enforcement as a tool to suppress that speech.”
The arrest occurred just days after President Donald Trump took to social media threatening to defund universities that allowed “illegal protests” and claiming “agitators” will be sent back to their home countries.
“All Federal Funding will STOP for any College, School, or University that allows illegal protests. Agitators will be imprisoned/or permanently sent back to the country from which they came. American students will be permanently expelled or, depending on on the crime, arrested. NO MASKS! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump posted on Truth Social on March 4.
Columbia released the following statement on Sunday: “There have been reports of ICE around campus. Columbia has and will continue to follow the law. Consistent with our longstanding practice and the practice of cities and institutions throughout the country, law enforcement must have a judicial warrant to enter non-public University areas, including University buildings.”
“Columbia is committed to complying with all legal obligations and supporting our student body and campus community,” the statement continued.
