Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s nickname and ironic military honors revealed after New Orleans terror attack

New Orleans terrorist Shamsud-Din Jabbar was a “smart student” and “very likeable kid” during his school days, his former classmate has revealed.

Jabbar, 42, killed 14 people and injured dozens when he drove a truck into a crowd of New Year’s celebrants in New Orleans in an ISIS-inspired terror attack. He was fatally shot during a shootout with police after the disaster.

Jabbar’s joining the terrorist group has come as a shock to those who knew him, with a former classmate now telling DailyMail.com that he was ‘not the kind of man who looked for trouble’.

Kendrick Watson Smith Sr., who attended middle and high school in Texas with Jabbar and his twin sister, said that “Sham” — as his classmates called him — was smart, “very gentle” and seemingly well-liked for his “cool personality.” .

‘As far as I can remember, I don’t to remind that he’s a troublemaker or something like that,” Smith, 42, said. ‘That just wasn’t in his character. He was studious and quiet, but he had a group of friends.’

He also recalled his surprise when Jabbar joined the army, claiming that it looked like he was on his way to going to college and becoming a lawyer or doctor.

Jabbar served in the Army from March 2007 to July 2020 and was deployed to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. In 2015, he transferred to the Army Reserve and left in 2020 with the rank of staff sergeant.

Jabbar earned nearly two dozen awards during his military service, including a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Task & purpose reported.

Jabbar (photo) served in the army from March 2007 to July 2020 and was deployed to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2010. During his service, he earned nearly two dozen awards, including a Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Smith attended Central High School in Beaumont, Texas, with Jabbar and his sister. All were graduates of the Class of 2001, he told DailyMail.com.

Although Smith was not a close friend of Jabbar, he said they were friendly.

“He was a very likable guy, and people were attracted to him because he had a cool personality. He wasn’t part of the popular crowd, but he wasn’t a loner,” Smith recalls.

“He was very smart and was in all the honors classes, so he was no dummy. He was also very gentle in the way he behaved.

Smith said it is “incredible” that his former classmate had ties to ISIS.

“It shocks me because I went to school with this man, walked the halls with him, but never saw him become violent. I mean, you never know what moves people and what makes people do things.”

Smith also claimed he heard his former classmate was struggling after leaving the military.

“He probably saw things when he was in the military,” he said of Jabbar. ‘Sometimes it is really tough and then you also have to deal with financial situations and debts. It shouldn’t make anyone go to violent extremes, but life is hard.

Jabbar, 42, killed 14 people and injured dozens when he drove a truck into a crowd of New Year’s celebrants in New Orleans in an ISIS-inspired terror attack. He was fatally shot during a shootout with police after the disaster

Emergency services respond to the scene after a vehicle crashed into a crowd on the New Orleans Grand Canal and Bourbon Street, Wednesday, January 1, 2025

The horrific attack on Bourbon Street was the deadliest ISIS-inspired attack on U.S. soil in years. The photo shows victims lying on the street

“I have friends who went into the military and sometimes they don’t come back the same way they left, and they look at life and death differently than I do.”

Smith said he could not remember the name of Jabbar’s fraternal twin sister, but said the couple also had an older brother and were close to the mother.

‘It was a close-knit family. Every family has problems, but you wouldn’t want their sister, brother or mother to see something like that about their loved one.”

He added: “My heart also goes out to all the victims who lost their lives and their families. I don’t know why he did this and what he wanted to make him do this. Never in a million years would I think he would be someone who could do something like this.”

Jabbar enlisted in the Army in March 2007 and served on active duty in human resources and information technology until January 2015. He was also deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010.

He transferred to the Army Reserve in 2015 and left in 2020, ending his service with the rank of staff sergeant.

Jabbar enlisted in the Army in March 2007 and served on active duty in human resources and information technology until January 2015. He was also deployed to Afghanistan from February 2009 to January 2010. In 2015, he transferred to the Army Reserve and left in 2020, finishing his service at the rank of sergeant

Jabbar was a seemingly dedicated soldier who received 23 awards over the course of his military career, according to Task & Purpose.

His awards include three Army Commendation Medals – awarded to soldiers distinguished by heroism or meritorious service – four Army Achievement Medals, two Army Good Conduct Medals, the Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

He also received: the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; an Afghanistan Campaign Medal with campaign star; two noncommissioned officer professional development ribbons; the military service ribbon; Overseas Services Ribbon; Army Reserve Component Overseas Training Ribbon; a NATO medal; two Meritorious Unit Commendations; the paratrooper badge; and the driver and mechanic badge.

Before serving in the military, Jabbar enlisted in the Navy. He joined the agency’s deferred entry program in August 2004 but was fired a month later. He didn’t go to boot camp.