BEAUMONT, Texas (AP) — Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old U.S. citizen who grew up in Texas, served in the U.S. Army, and later established a successful real estate business in Houston, making $120,000 annually at one of the world’s largest consulting firms, faced various challenges in his personal life. Despite his professional success, Jabbar experienced financial difficulties, finalizing a third divorce in 2022 due to mortgage payment struggles and business losses.
On New Year’s Day, Jabbar drove a rented truck through a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing 14 people and injuring at least 30 others before being shot and killed by police. Authorities revealed that the attack was inspired by the Islamic State group, marking it as one of the deadliest IS-inspired assaults on U.S. soil in recent years.
Prior to the attack, Jabbar posted videos on Facebook aligning himself with IS and was found with an Islamic State flag in the truck used in the rampage. Family members, including his brother Abdur-Rahim Jabbar, expressed shock and disbelief at his actions, emphasizing that Jabbar seemed calm and well-mannered in their interactions.
Jabbar’s background indicates a tumultuous personal life, with multiple marriages, financial struggles, and a pattern of moving between states such as North Carolina, Texas, Georgia, and Alaska. He served in the Army from 2007 to 2020, with deployments to Afghanistan and a subsequent transfer to the Army Reserve. Additionally, he attended Georgia State University and graduated with a degree in computer information systems.
Reports from acquaintances, including Dwayne Marsh, who is married to one of Jabbar’s ex-wives, suggested that Jabbar had been displaying erratic behavior leading up to the tragic event. Family members and authorities are still trying to understand the motives behind Jabbar’s violent actions as they piece together his complex history.
Abdur-Rahim Jabbar’s mother’s personal belongings were reported missing as of Thursday afternoon, with their father declining to provide any comments to the media. Divorce records reveal Jabbar’s deteriorating financial situation in January 2022, indicating that he was $27,000 behind on house payments and eager to quickly finalize the divorce proceedings.
In an email to his ex-wife’s attorney in January 2022, Jabbar expressed his efforts to resolve the financial strain, stating that all avenues, except for a loan modification, had been exhausted, leaving him with no choice but to sell the house or face foreclosure. Additionally, his businesses were facing challenges, with one of his ventures, Blue Meadow Properties LLC, experiencing a loss of approximately $28,000 in 2021. Furthermore, two other businesses he had established, Jabbar Real Estate Holdings LLC and BDQ L3C, held no value. The email also revealed that Jabbar had accrued $16,000 in credit card debt due to expenses such as legal fees.
Financial documents illustrate that in 2022, Jabbar was earning around $10,000 per month through business development and other activities for the consulting firm Deloitte. Law enforcement officials blocked access to a Houston neighborhood where Jabbar’s last known address was a small white mobile home situated in a gated community where ducks and goats freely roamed the grass. Subsequently, the FBI concluded a search of the area on Thursday without disclosing further details.
Despite the turmoil documented in court filings, Abdur-Rahim Jabbar conveyed that his brother did not exhibit any outward signs of distress or resentment towards his relationships. He noted that his brother held himself accountable for the failed marriages and never harbored bitterness towards his ex-wives. Childhood friend and fellow veteran Chris Pousson mentioned reconnecting with Jabbar on Facebook around 2009, although they lost touch by 2019. Pousson recalled positive interactions with Jabbar, including messages of faith and admiration, without any indications of concerning behavior.
Pousson, who served in anti-terrorism operations during his military service, stated that he would have taken action if any red flags had arisen. He emphasized that Jabbar never displayed any behavior that would have indicated his involvement in the events that transpired.
Contributions to this report were made by Associated Press reporters Jamie Stengle in Dallas, Claudia Lauer in Philadelphia, Tara Copp in Washington, Kate Brumback in Atlanta, Michael Phillis in St. Louis, and Christopher L. Keller in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
