‘Bragging about your steak dinner?’: Fury as Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry posts photo of himself at New Orleans steakhouse while city mourns bloody terror attack that left 15 dead just hours earlier
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is facing heavy criticism in the wake of the terror attack in New Orleans after he posted a cheerful photo of himself at a steakhouse in the city, hours after 15 people were killed.
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, a U.S. citizen born and raised in Texas, drove an electric vehicle from Houston to Louisiana to carry out the deadly attack that killed 15 people and injured at least 35.
Landry, a Republican who has led the state as governor since January 2024, posted a photo of himself giving a thumbs up with several people outside the Bon Tob Prime Rib steakhouse, which is just 10 minutes from the site of the 3 a.m. terror at night. attack on Bourbon Street, in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
He said in the 7 p.m. post, referring to the Sugar Bowl college football game that was postponed in the wake of the terrorist attack: “Dinner tonight in New Orleans. Proud to be part of this incredibly resilient city. See everyone at the game tomorrow!’
He said in a follow-up post around 9 p.m., “It is important to understand that we have a lot of visitors in the city of New Orleans right now. Safety is our top priority and we want our guests and the world to know that Louisiana will not back down from radical Islamic terrorists.
“Our restaurants and all that New Orleans has to offer remain open!”
This did not go down well with the city’s residents, who are still reeling from the devastating incident.
One social media user accused him of being insensitive about the attack, saying, “Fifteen people are dead in NOLA and you’re bragging about your steak dinner?
Landry posted a photo of himself with several people outside the Bon Tob Prime Rib steakhouse
Officials confirmed that Jabbar had attached an ISIS flag to the truck he used to plow through the crowd
Another said: ‘Dude. Some of your constituents are no longer alive due to a terrorist attack and you thought it was a good idea to go to a steakhouse with friends and post about it? Fire yourself.”
A third said: ‘I’m sorry but people are grieving tonight. You could have put out another message that visited tourists and locals, instead you posted a tone-deaf photo.
“I was hoping you would be better for Louisiana than your predecessors — this is terrible.”
Shocking new surveillance footage obtained by Fox 8 showed Jabbar as he drove the white Ford F-150 Lightning EV down Canal Street.
The truck turned onto Bourbon Street, maneuvered past a NOLA Police vehicle and then rammed into a crowd of pedestrians.
After mowing down the revelers, he got out of the car and started shooting before being shot himself by police. The ordeal is being investigated as a terror attack.
The EV truck is a particularly deadly weapon due to its great height and weight and its ability to go from 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds.
New Orleans police said the mechanical barricades installed at the intersection were not functioning properly, and they installed other barriers and police cars on parts of Bourbon Street before the holidays.
Shamsud Din Jabbar, 42, a U.S. citizen, drove a rental car waving an ISIS flag into the crowd on Bourbon Street on Wednesday morning, killing at least 15 people
People carry a corpse in a body bag on a stretcher near the site where people were killed by a man driving a truck during an attack during New Year’s celebrations in New Orleans
Fifteen people were killed and 35 others were injured. Jabbar drove a rented white Ford SUV into pedestrians who were ringing in New Orleans’ French Quarter in 2025
Surveillance footage showed the terror suspect from New Orleans maneuvering around the police barricade
Jabbar drove the white Ford F-150 Lightning EV down Canal Street, turned onto Bourbon Street and maneuvered past a NOLA Police vehicle
‘We knew that these were not functioning properly. So we did have a plan, but the terrorist defeated it,” said Chief Inspector Anne Kirkpatrick.
“This particular terrorist drove onto the sidewalk and bypassed the hard target. We had a car there, we had barriers there, we had officers there, and they could still get by.”
Officials confirmed that Jabbar had attached an ISIS flag to the truck he used to plow through the crowd.
“An ISIS flag was located in the vehicle and the FBI is working to determine the subject’s possible associations and ties to terrorist organizations,” the FBI said.
Jabbar — who the FBI says did not work alone on the horrific attack — grew up in Texas and served in the U.S. Army.
Guns and pipe bombs were also found in the vehicle, according to a Louisiana State Police intelligence bulletin obtained by The Associated Press.
FBI agents walk near the site where people were killed by a man driving a truck during an attack during New Year’s celebrations, in New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S., January 1, 2025
The devices, which were hidden in coolers, were wired for remote detonation, the bulletin said, and a corresponding remote control was discovered in the vehicle.
The FBI said there were other potential explosives in the French Quarter.
According to the intelligence bulletin, surveillance footage showed three men and a woman planting one of several improvised explosive devices.
The electric vehicle was rented by Jabbar through the Turo app – a car sharing company – which is registered to a 42-year-old man from Houston.