A peaceful New Year’s celebration took a turn into a nightmare when a truck plowed into crowds on Bourbon Street, killing 14, among them 31-year-old British national Edward Pettifer.
The attacker, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old army veteran, had rented the truck weeks in advance to carry out what the FBI characterized as a “premeditated and evil act of terrorism” inspired by ISIS. Jabbar also attempted to destroy evidence by setting his rented home on fire and leaving behind bomb-making materials.
The family of Edward Pettifer remembered him in a statement as a “wonderful son and friend to so many” as they mourned the tragic loss of their loved one. Of the other 35 who were injured, some remain in intensive care. Investigations into Jabbar’s actions, including the very rare type of explosive he used, continue.
This horrific attack serves as another reminder of how terrorism can reach even the celebratory moments in life.
