Crime
Elle Eisele and Steele Idelson injured in New Orleans car-ramming attack
The driver of a pickup truck, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, deliberately plowed into crowds, killing 15 people and injuring dozens.
Two college students have been identified as among the injured in the New Orleans car-ramming attack on New Year’s Day, which left 15 people dead and dozens more wounded.
The Canterbury School in Fort Myers, Florida, confirmed that the two young women, Elle Eisele and Steele Idelson, both graduated from the school in 2023.
The families of Eisele and Idelson released a joint statement expressing their gratitude for the support they have received in the wake of the tragedy:
“The Eisele and Idelson families are deeply grateful for the outpouring of thoughts, prayers, and offers of support for our daughters following the tragic attack in New Orleans. We are especially thankful for the exceptional care and compassion they are receiving at University Medical Center.
“We also extend our heartfelt gratitude to the first responders, whose swift actions may have saved our daughters’ lives. To everyone who has reached out with love and support, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
While details about the extent of their injuries have not been disclosed, both young women are reportedly receiving treatment at University Medical Center in New Orleans, which has been at the forefront of providing care for victims of the attack.
The New Orleans terror attack occurred early on January 1, 2025, during New Year’s and Sugar Bowl celebrations on Bourbon Street.
The driver of a pickup truck, identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, deliberately plowed into crowds, killing 15 people and injuring dozens. Jabbar then exited the vehicle and opened fire on police before being fatally shot.
Investigators later discovered an ISIS flag and potential explosive devices inside the vehicle.
The attack has drawn national and international attention, with the FBI leading the investigation and authorities working to uncover possible accomplices.
The Canterbury School has expressed solidarity with the Eisele and Idelson families. In a statement shared with the school community, officials said:
“Our hearts are with Elle, Steele, their families, and all those impacted by this senseless tragedy. We are committed to supporting them in every way possible as they navigate this difficult time.”
The broader Fort Myers community has rallied around the families, with many offering support and organizing efforts to aid in their recovery.
The Eisele and Idelson families have requested privacy as their daughters focus on healing but have expressed deep appreciation for the compassion and care shown to them.
Community members are encouraged to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts and prayers during this challenging time.
This tragedy underscores the resilience of the victims and their families and highlights the critical work of first responders and medical teams in the wake of such events.
Crime
Mustapha Kharbouch Now-Deleted 2024 Manifesto Published in Institute for Palestine Studies Recovered
Brown University has removed multiple online references to student activist Mustapha Kharbouch in the days following a deadly campus shooting, a move that has drawn public attention amid heightened online speculation—despite law enforcement officials confirming that no suspects or persons of interest have been identified in the investigation.
Archived versions of Brown University webpages show that Kharbouch, a first-year student at the time, was previously listed in several university-affiliated roles, including as a student assistant and Cultural Programming Coordinator connected to the Global Brown Center.
His academic interests were described as focusing on International and Public Affairs and Anthropology, with involvement in Middle East–focused academic, cultural, and student programming.
Those pages are no longer accessible, and Kharbouch’s social media accounts have also been deactivated.
A verified buyer from the United States with the name “Mustapha K.” reviewed a 9MM muzzle brake through the Wing Tactical website on December 29th, 2024 — the same caliber used in the Brown shooting.
There are approximately a few hundred people in the entire United States with that first name + last initial combination.
University officials have not issued a public explanation for the removal of the online profiles.
The changes occurred as online speculation intensified in the immediate aftermath of the shooting, with social media users circulating screenshots of archived university pages and past writings associated with Kharbouch.
Among the materials resurfaced by online users was a 2024 essay authored by Kharbouch and published by the Institute for Palestine Studies as part of a special student essay series titled Genocide in Gaza: Student Essays — Brown University Encampment 2024.
The essay, titled “I Hear the Voice of My Ancestors Calling: From the Camps to the Campus,” was published on August 13, 2024, months before the shooting. The piece is a first-person reflective essay examining Palestinian identity, intergenerational memory, student activism, and questions of hope amid displacement, war, and protest.
The article includes poetic excerpts adapted from “Ancestors Song,” a chant popularized during student-led Palestine solidarity actions at Brown University, and documents Kharbouch’s participation in campus organizing efforts, including sit-ins, hunger strikes, rallies, and the Brown Gaza Solidarity Encampment.
The essay situates these experiences within a broader discussion of decolonial thought, feminist theory, and Palestinian history, including reflections on the 1948 Nakba and the author’s family history as a third-generation stateless Palestinian refugee raised in Lebanon.
The content of the essay is ideological, autobiographical, and academic in nature.
There is no reference to violence on campus, nor any indication of intent or planning related to criminal activity.
The Institute for Palestine Studies has not issued any statement suggesting the piece is under review or connected to the shooting.
Despite widespread online conjecture, law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and Providence Police, have not named Mustapha Kharbouch as a suspect or person of interest, and have publicly stated that there is no evidence linking him to the shooting.
Investigators have emphasized that the case remains active and that conclusions are being guided strictly by verified evidence.
Authorities have cautioned against drawing inferences from online speculation, warning that unsubstantiated claims can compromise investigations and cause undue harm to individuals not implicated by facts.
Media analysts and campus observers have suggested that Brown University’s decision to remove online references may have been taken as a protective or precautionary measure, particularly as misinformation and harassment proliferated across social media platforms following the attack.
Similar actions have been taken by institutions in other high-profile incidents to limit doxxing, targeted harassment, or the misinterpretation of publicly available biographical information during periods of heightened tension.
Brown University has not confirmed whether the removals were temporary, administrative, or safety-related in nature.
Authorities continue to urge the public to rely on confirmed information released by law enforcement and to avoid amplifying unverified narratives.
As of the most recent update, no arrests have been announced, no individuals have been publicly identified as suspects, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with credible information related to the shooting has been asked to contact investigators directly.