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President Biden and first lady Jill Biden attended a memorial service for the victims on Monday Terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, paying tribute to the 14 victims who died.
The event, which was an interfaith prayer service, took place at the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, in the French Quarter. The church is less than a mile from the scene of the attack, where terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers on New Year’s Day.
Biden made brief remarks toward the end of the service, expressing sympathy for the victims and their families.
“The shock and the pain is still very raw,” said Biden, who leaves office in exactly two weeks. “My wife Jill and I are here to stand with you, cry with you, pray with you and (and) let you know that you are not alone; the rest of the nation is watching you, too.”
WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE VICTIMS OF THE NEW ORLEANS TERRORIST ATTACK
US President Joe Biden (right) and First Lady Jill Biden (second right), along with Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (right) and his wife Sharon Landry (right) , attend an interfaith prayer service with families and community members affected by the Jan. 1 truck attack in New Orleans at the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis, King of France, in New Orleans , Louisiana, the January 6, 2025. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
The president also noted that he recently met with two officers who were injured during the attack and commended the first responders who saved lives amid the chaos.
“New Orleans defines strength and resilience,” Biden said. “You define it. Whether it’s in the form of this attack, that attack or hurricanes or superstorms, the people of this city bounce back. That’s the spirit of America, too.”
The service came less than a week after the terrorist attack rocked the Big Easy. Jabbar died at the scene, bringing the total death toll to 15 as of January 6 and more than 30 injured.
Many of the deceased were in their 20s and visited New Orleans from across the United States, including Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York and New Jersey. The youngest victim who died was 18 and the oldest 63.
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, along with Archbishop Gregory Aymond (right), attend an interfaith prayer service with families and community members affected by the truck attack from January 1 in New Orleans, at the Cathedral-Basilica of Saint Louis. King of France, in New Orleans, Louisiana, on January 6, 2025. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
The incident is still under investigation, and federal and local officials continue to collect evidence terrorist attack. On Sunday, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) said its National Response Team had completed its investigation into Jabbar’s Airbnb in New Orleans.
Jabbar, who rented a house on Mandeville Street and left it hours before launching his attack, set the rental house on fire to destroy evidence, but the fire was already burning by the time authorities arrived. The accelerants that Jabbar strategically placed did not end up catching fire, allowing authorities to gather evidence.
Officials also found traces of the explosive RDX, or cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, in the rental. The agency noted that Jabbar unknowingly foiled their plans by using an electric lighter to ignite explosive material that is normally set off by a detonator.
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US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden lay flowers as they pay their respects to the victims of the January 1 truck attack at a makeshift memorial on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Louisiana , on January 6, 2025. (ROBERTO SCHMIDT/AFP via Getty Images)
“Jabbar used explosive material more suitable for a detonator, but did not have access to one, so he used an electric match to ignite the explosives,” the ATF statement explained. “Jabbar’s lack of experience and the crude nature of assembling the device is why he used the wrong device to ignite the explosives.”
Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.
