Biden Travels to New Orleans to Console Families After French Quarter Attack/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ President Joe Biden will visit New Orleans on Monday to console the families of victims killed and injured in the New Year’s French Quarter truck attack that left 14 dead and 30 injured. The president plans to meet privately with families, offering personal condolences, before attending a prayer service.
Key Points
- Attack Details: On New Year’s Eve, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran, drove a truck into a crowd in New Orleans’ French Quarter, killing 14 and injuring 30. Jabbar was later shot and killed in a firefight with police.
- Biden’s Visit: The president will arrive at 3:35 p.m. Central Time and attend a 6 p.m. prayer service. This may be his final visit as president to console victims of a major tragedy.
- Victims: The youngest victim was 18, and the oldest was 63, with most in their 20s. The victims came from various states and the UK.
- Biden’s Message: Biden urged New Orleans residents to reject conspiracy theories, affirming that Jabbar acted alone.
- Personal Connection: Biden, who has faced profound personal losses, will speak privately with families, offering support and sharing his experience with grief.
Biden Travels to New Orleans to Console Families After French Quarter Attack
Deep Look
Biden’s Role as Consoler-in-Chief
President Joe Biden has often leaned on his personal experience with tragedy to connect with grieving families. His visit to New Orleans underscores his commitment to addressing victims personally, offering solace in private conversations.
“I’ve been there,” Biden said Sunday. “There’s nothing you can really say to somebody that’s just had such a tragic loss. My message is going to be personal if I get to get them alone.”
Biden’s empathy stems from his own life: the loss of his first wife and daughter in a car accident and the death of his son, Beau, from cancer.
Tragedy in the French Quarter
On New Year’s Eve, Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a Texas native, drove his truck into crowds on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people and injuring 30 others.
- Attack Details: Jabbar, who expressed support for the Islamic State in Facebook videos hours before the attack, bypassed barricades and targeted revelers.
- Police Response: Jabbar was fatally shot during a firefight with law enforcement.
- Victim Profiles: The victims ranged from 18 to 63 years old, with many in their 20s, hailing from Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, and Great Britain.
Rejecting Conspiracies
“I spent literally 17, 18 hours with the intelligence community to establish exactly what happened,” Biden said. “All this talk about conspiracies with other people — there’s no evidence of that. Zero.”
Supporting the Grieving
Biden’s visit includes attending a prayer service and meeting privately with victims’ families. Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy called on officials to focus on preventing future attacks while urging citizens to live bravely:
“How can we not feel for both the families of those who die but also those who’ve been injured in their families?”
Cassidy emphasized that the best response is ensuring safety and supporting the affected families.
What’s Next
After his stop in New Orleans, Biden will travel to California for scheduled meetings, marking one of his final trips as president before leaving office on January 20.
You must Register or Login to post a comment.