New Orleans suspect in Tampa two months before deadly attack, FBI seeking tips

FBI: New Orleans attacker spent time in Tampa

Evan Axelbank reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - FBI agents said New Orleans terror suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar visited Tampa 65 days before he ran over dozens of people celebrating New Year's Eve, killing 15.

They said Jabbar was in Tampa from October 26-28. What they're trying to determine is whether the stop was about something sinister, or something innocent.

"Maybe he was going to Busch Gardens. I don't say that sarcastically," said former Tampa Police Chief Brian Dugan. "Maybe he was here to meet up with someone. Maybe he was using this as a place to evaluate whether Tampa was a target?"

READ: New Orleans attack latest: Suspect visited city twice before

The FBI has not given a hint as to how they figured out he was in the area, but they are asking people to submit tips.

Dugan pointed out that the area has a joint terrorism task force.

"[They can] gather more information to make sure there is no one else in this area that might be having those same type of thoughts," Dugan said.

Tampa has had several run-ins with terrorism, including in 2020 when a Temple Terrace officer was attacked by a woman whose brother had been accused of supporting ISIS, the same group Jabbar claimed to support.

MORE: New Orleans truck attack: What we know about the victims

Former FBI special agent Lisa Burns expects the FBI will be able to determine, based on digital evidence, why he was in Tampa.

"I feel fairly confident that they will be able to put that picture together," said Burns. "[He] doesn't seem to be a fairly sophisticated actor. You know, the method he used for his attack was fairly simple."

That day, the FBI said he was not recording with glasses that were outfitted with a camera, as he was when he cased the Bourbon Street area.

"He's been killed, and dead men tell no tales," said Bay Area legal analyst Anthony Rickman. "And in this particular case, law enforcement has to retrace his steps everywhere he went to determine if there is anyone else involved in this case."

Jabbar also traveled to Egypt and to Canada in the months before the attack.

The FBI has set up a website for people to submit tips, which can be done anonymously, and also allows people to upload files that may support what they are telling the FBI. Click here to submit a tip.

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