An FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge has been reassigned following a misstep in labeling the New Orleans attack as not a terrorist event. The incident, which occurred on New Year's Day, involved a man driving a truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, resulting in 14 fatalities and numerous injuries.
The agent, Alethea Duncan, initially stated during a press conference that the attack was not terrorism. However, subsequent statements from the FBI, Attorney General Merrick Garland, and President Biden all classified the event as an act of terrorism.
Authorities revealed that the perpetrator, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, had an ISIS flag in his truck and used coolers to conceal IEDs during the attack. Jabbar, who was killed by police at the scene, had traveled from Houston to New Orleans to carry out the planned assault.
Following the chaos on Bourbon Street, Duncan's assertion that the attack was not terrorism contradicted the mayor of New Orleans, who confirmed it as a terrorist incident. The FBI later clarified that the event was being investigated as an act of terror.
While details about Duncan's new position remain undisclosed, she is still employed by the FBI. The Bureau declined to comment on the reassignment.
The incident underscores the complexities of determining and communicating the nature of such events, especially in the immediate aftermath. The investigation into the New Orleans attack continues as authorities work to uncover further details about the perpetrator's motives and connections.
