Authorities have revealed that the truck used in the tragic attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day, resulting in the loss of at least 10 lives, was listed on the car rental platform Turo. The owner of the vehicle confirmed this information via text message to sources.
According to two federal law enforcement officials, the truck was not owned by the suspect but was rented through a platform where vehicle owners offer their cars for rent.
The vehicle in question is a white Ford F-150 Lightning electric truck registered to a man from Houston, who has ties to the dealership where the truck was originally purchased, as per public records linked to the vehicle's license plate. The owner disclosed that the truck was indeed listed on Turo, a website that facilitates owners in renting out their vehicles to others.
Although the owner did not provide further details about the renter or the specific circumstances, one of his listings on Turo matches the description of the truck involved in the New Orleans incident. Notably, the photos on the Turo listing only displayed a temporary license plate, differing from the one observed on the truck in New Orleans.
While Turo did not offer an immediate comment on the situation, the platform took action by disabling the truck for rental purposes on Wednesday morning. Prior to its deactivation, the truck was available for rent at a rate of $105 per day, excluding additional charges, and was scheduled to be unavailable for rental until 12:30 p.m. CST on Wednesday.
Furthermore, the FBI is actively investigating any potential connections the suspect may have had in Texas, as indicated by one of the officials involved in the case.
