Law enforcement officers from multiple agencies work the scene on Bourbon Street after at least 10 people were killed when a person reportedly drove into the crowd in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day on Jan. 1, 2025, in New Orleans. Dozens more were injured after a suspect in a rented pickup truck allegedly drove around barricades and through a crowd of New Year’s revelers on Bourbon Street. The suspect then got out of the car, opened fire on police officers, and was subsequently killed by law enforcement. (Michael DeMocker/Getty Images)
A University of Alabama student was killed Wednesday in the attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.
Kareem Badawi was a freshman at UA who graduated from the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge in 2024.
“It is with great sadness and grief, and with hearts satisfied with Allah’s decision and destiny, I announce the death of my son, Karim Bilal Badawi, who died early today in the morning as a result of a tragic accident in New Orleans,” his father, Belal Badawi, wrote in a post on Facebook Wednesday night.
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A message seeking comment was sent to Belal on Thursday morning.
On Wednesday, UA President Stuart R. Bell said in a statement that he “learned today that Kareem Badawi, one of our students at The University of Alabama, was killed in the terrorist attack in New Orleans.”
“I grieve alongside family and friends of Kareem in their heartbreaking loss,” he said in the statement.
Bell encouraged the university community to contact the Office of Student Care and Well Being at 205-348-2461 or bamacares@ua.edu for support.
The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge also encouraged the school community in a letter to “hold these alumni, their families, and all who are grieving in your thoughts and prayers,” according to The Advocate.
Authorities updated the death toll to 15, with another 35 people injured, many critically.
Officials said Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, of Texas plowed through crowds on Bourbon Street before he was killed in a shootout with police. Weapons and a suspected explosive device were found in the vehicle, along with an Islamic State flag. Investigators believe Jabbar may not have acted alone and are pursuing potential accomplices.
Steel bollards being installed for pedestrian protection ahead of the 2025 Super Bowl, scheduled for Feb. 9 in New Orleans, were not in place, which allowed Jabbar to drive into the crowd. Bourbon Street remains closed, and hotels in the French Quarter have been partially evacuated. The Sugar Bowl, which was scheduled for New Year’s Day in New Orleans, was postponed to Thursday.
Gov. Jeff Landry of Louisiana declared a state of emergency, deploying National Guard troops to assist law enforcement. The FBI is investigating the attack as a terrorist act, with controlled detonations clearing potential explosive devices from the area.
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