Our hearts for the people of New Orleans after a
despicable attack that occurred in the early morning hours,
the FBI has reported to me the killer was an
American citizen born in Texas. He served in the
United States Army and active duty for many years.
He also served in the Army Reserve until a few
years ago. The FBI also reported to me that
mere hours before the attack, he posted videos on
social media indicating that he was inspired by ISIS,
expressing a desire to kill, desire to kill.
The ISIS flag was found in his vehicle which he
rented to conduct this attack. Possible explosives were found
in the vehicle as well, and more explosives were
found nearby. The situation is very fluid and the
investigation has a preliminary stage. Additionally, we're tracking
the explosion of a cyber truck outside the Trump Hotel
in Las Vegas. Law enforcement and the intelligence community
are investigating this as well, including whether there's any
possible connection with the attack in New Orleans. Thus
far there's nothing to report on that score at this
time. New Orleans is a place unlike any other
place in the world. It's a city full of
charm and joy. So many people around the world
love New Orleans because of its history, its culture
, and above all its people. So I know
while this person committed a terrible assault on the city
, the spirit of our New Orleans will never,
never, never be defeated. It always will shine
forth. We've seen that time and time again throughout
its history, and I know we'll see it again
in the days and weeks ahead.