Crime
New Orleans terror attack suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar arrested in 2020 for DWI
Shamsud-Din Jabbar, the suspect in the New Orleans terror attack, had a history of legal troubles, including arrests and convictions spanning two decades, according to court and police records.
In 2020, Jabbar was arrested in Missouri City, Texas, on charges of driving while intoxicated (DWI) and possession of an open alcohol container, records from the county indicate. He was released after posting a $500 bond.
The resolution of this case remains unclear, and inquiries to the local district attorney’s office have not yet been answered.
That same month, during his divorce proceedings, a Texas judge issued a restraining order against Jabbar at the request of his second wife.
The restraining order’s specifics were not disclosed, but it was granted as part of an ongoing legal dispute.
Jabbar’s criminal history also includes other incidents with law enforcement. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to charges related to driving under the influence.
Earlier in his life, in December 2002, he admitted guilt to a misdemeanor theft charge involving property valued between $50 and $500.
The revelations about Jabbar’s past are part of the ongoing investigation into his background and possible motives for the New Orleans attack.
Law enforcement officials are examining these prior incidents as they work to piece together a comprehensive profile of the suspect.
AUSTIN, Texas — A man was taken into custody Saturday afternoon following a shooting inside the Austin Central Library that left one person seriously injured and prompted a large emergency response and temporary shelter-in-place order in the downtown area.
According to the Austin Police Department (APD), officers responded shortly after 12:00 p.m. to reports of gunfire inside the Austin Central Library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street.
Upon arrival, police and Austin-Travis County EMS units found one victim suffering from a gunshot wound.
The individual was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition.
Assistant Police Chief Lee Rogers stated during a press briefing that the shooter fled the scene before officers arrived.
After an extensive search, the suspect—identified as 55-year-old Harold Newton Keene—was located and arrested in South Austin at approximately 1:25 p.m.
The library was safely evacuated, and the shelter-in-place alert was lifted shortly after Keene’s apprehension.
Authorities emphasized that the shooting appeared to be an isolated incident involving only one suspect and one victim.
“This was not an active shooter situation,” Rogers confirmed.
Preliminary reports and public records reveal that Harold Newton Keene has a lengthy criminal history, including multiple arrests for assault, family violence, terroristic threats, burglary, drug possession, and evading arrest.
He is described by law enforcement officials as a habitual violent offender who has had numerous prior run-ins with police.
Records indicate Keene was previously arrested for threatening a man with a firearm several months ago and, in a separate incident, assaulted another inmate while in custody at the Travis County Jail.
In both cases, prosecutors later declined to pursue charges.
Authorities have not yet released a possible motive for the shooting or confirmed whether the suspect and victim knew each other.
The Austin Police Department’s Major Crimes Division is leading the investigation.
Anyone with information related to the incident is urged to contact the Austin Police Department or Crime Stoppers at 512-472-TIPS.