Bourbon Street attack on New Year's revelers just the latest case of terrorists using trucks to kill

"Car ramming, or 'vehicle as a weapon' attacks, are highly effective. With this attack on the heels of the deadly events at the Christmas market in Germany, we should all be mindful while attending and enjoying mass gathering events," Brian Harrell, a former assistant secretary at DHS under the first Trump administration, told Fox News Digital. "Soft targets and crowded places will always be desirable for terrorists given the potential loss of life." 

"In the first Trump administration, we recognized that vehicle as a weapon was a true threat that needed to be mitigated," Harrell added. "The challenge in securing public venues, or 'soft targets,' is that the open nature of these locations makes them vulnerable to attacks. Bad-actors target places where individuals of all backgrounds should be able to assemble safely, freely, and without fear of harm. Such violence has no place in our society." 

The FBI is investigating an "act of terrorism" Wednesday, and the White House has been briefed after authorities say a suspect rammed a truck into crowds on Bourbon Street, killing at least 10 and injuring dozens of others. A high-level source at the New Orleans Police Department confirmed to Fox News Digital the now-deceased suspect was Shamsud Din Jabbar. He was killed after opening fire on police. 

Jabbar was carrying a Glock and a .308 rifle - equipped with optics and a suppressor - that had been reported stolen in New Jersey, the source said. The source added that there are at least four to five other suspects involved. 

Two officers were shot. A source confirmed to Fox News Digital that law enforcement found explosive devices on Bourbon Street that are apparently viable. 

An eight-block perimeter around Bourbon Street remains blocked off as the investigation continues. 

An employee at the front desk of the Bourbon Orleans Hotel told Fox News Digital she drove to work around 6 a.m. but had to walk a far distance through the police barricades. Though she did not see much, she heard what sounded like at least two soft "bangs," suspecting something had detonated. 

Fox News learned the vehicle used in the attack crossed the U.S.-Mexico border in Eagle Pass, Texas, in November. However, the alleged Bourbon Street attacker was not behind the wheel, meaning the vehicle changed hands at some point. 

The Sugar Bowl is still expected to kick off the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game between Georgia and Notre Dame as expected in New Orleans on Wednesday night, but the dome was under lockdown for security sweeps. 

As Louisiana's popular tourist destination is still reeling from one car-ramming attack, here's a look at others in recent years. 

Germany's interior minister on Monday cautioned that it was too soon to suspect terror in the Dec. 20 Christmas market incident.

A judge handed Saipov eight consecutive life sentences and 260 years in prison in May 2023 over the ISIS-inspired attack. The survivors suffered amputations, serious brain injuries, life-altering physical injuries and significant psychological trauma, prosecutors said. 

Three years ago, Darrell Brooks Jr. rammed his red Ford Escape through a Christmas parade in downtown Waukesha, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, on Nov. 21, 2021. The attack killed six people, including 8-year-old Jackson Sparks, who had been marching with his baseball team. The other victims were identified as Tamara Durand, 52; Wilhelm Hospel, 81; Jane Kulich, 52; Leanna Owen, 71; and Virginia Sorenson, 79. Four of them were part of a group that called themselves the "Dancing Grannies." \

Sixty-two others were hurt. The following November, Brooks was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on 76 charges, including six counts of first-degree intentional homicide and 61 counts of reckless endangerment.

Fox News' David Spunt contributed to this report.