Today's Edition
Washington (dpa)
The suspected perpetrator of the car-ramming incident in New Orleans visited the southern US city at least twice before the deadly attack on New Year's Day, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said on Sunday.
Shamsud-Din J was in New Orleans once in October and again in November, investigators said at a press conference.
The suspect killed 14 people and injured dozens more in the early hours of New Year's Day when he drove into a crowd of revellers in the city's French Quarter, a popular nightlife district renowned for its Mardi Gras celebrations.
During his stay in October, he rode a bicycle through the French Quarter, where the attack took place, and recorded videos with smart glasses, the investigators said.
Smart glasses look like normal glasses but allow the wearer to inconspicuously take pictures without using their hands.
Investigators said the suspect also wore smart glasses during the attack on Bourbon Street, but did not activate them to enable live recordings.
They added that the suspect had travelled to Egypt and Canada before the attack. However, they said it is not yet clear whether the trips were related.
The suspect, who was a US citizen born in Texas, died in an exchange of fire with police.
Emergency services found possible explosives in the vehicle. According to the FBI, there were also weapons in the vehicle.
US President Joe Biden is expected to visit New Orleans on Monday, where he plans to speak to relatives of the victims.
