The FBI’s Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Alethea Duncan, initially declared that the New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans was “not a terrorist event” during a press conference. However, shortly after, the agency backtracked and reported that the incident was indeed under investigation as a terror attack. Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI’s press office inquiring about possible disciplinary action against Duncan but did not receive a response. The FBI provided three different statements on the day of the attack, all indicating that the incident was being investigated as an act of terrorism. The suspect, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was found to have an ISIS flag in his truck at the time of the attack. However, there is no evidence to suggest that he was directed by ISIS to carry out the rampage.
During the press conference in which Duncan initially stated that the attack was not terrorism-related, the mayor of New Orleans, LaToya Cantrell, contradicted her by confirming that the city had suffered a terrorist attack and that the incident was still under investigation. The FBI also confirmed that the attack was being investigated as an act of terror in subsequent press conferences. Jabbar, a 42-year-old Army veteran from Texas, was killed after exchanging gunfire with police following the incident in which he plowed a truck through crowds of people. Conservative lawmakers, Trump allies, and voters have criticized the FBI for its handling of the investigation, with Senator Marsha Blackburn arguing that the agency has focused more on DEI practices rather than fighting crime.
The FBI has faced scrutiny for its handling of the investigation into the New Orleans attack, with many questioning the initial assessment made by Alethea Duncan that the incident was not terror-related. There have been calls for disciplinary action against Duncan, but the FBI has not provided any information on whether she will face termination or other consequences. The suspect in the attack, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was found to have been inspired by ISIS, but authorities have not found any evidence to suggest that he was directed by the terrorist group to carry out the rampage. The FBI has emphasized that it is working with its partners to investigate the incident as an act of terrorism.
The FBI’s response to the New Orleans attack has come under fire from various sources, including Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn and conservative lawmakers who have criticized the agency for its focus on DEI practices over crime-fighting efforts. There is a growing concern that the FBI’s failure to properly assess the attack as an act of terrorism could have potentially led to a delay in responding to the threat. Calls have been made for swift confirmation of Kash Patel as the FBI director to ensure that the agency is able to effectively carry out its mission without fail. It remains to be seen whether the FBI will take any action against Alethea Duncan for her initial assessment of the New Orleans attack as not connected to terrorism.
