FBI Houston finds sulfuric acid in storage unit linked to Bourbon Street attack suspect, with no current public safety threat reported.
HOUSTON — FBI Houston revealed that investigators found bottles of commercially available sulfuric acid in a storage unit linked to Bourbon Street attack suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar. The discovery was made during a search on Monday night in the 11900 block of Walters Road.
In a statement, FBI Houston said, “FBI Houston and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office were present at the 11900 block of Walters Rd last night conducting court-authorized law enforcement activity related to the Bourbon Street attack. FBI Houston’s Special Agent Bomb Technicians and Evidence Response Team members searched a storage unit rented by Shamsud-Din Jabbar. During our search, FBI Houston found bottles of commercially available sulfuric acid inside a cooler.”
Authorities concluded their search around midnight and assured the public that there is no safety threat. “There was, and is, no threat to public safety at this time in relation to that activity,” the statement added.
The storage unit is about a mile from Jabbar’s home on Crescent Peak Drive near Hugh Road. The home and surrounding property were also searched multiple times after the attack.
Customers at the storage facility in Houston on Tuesday said they knew about the deadly New Orleans attack that left 14 people dead, but never thought the investigation would lead to the Houston area, they told KHOU.
“You wouldn’t believe that so close to home that this could be going on, like, I feel like who knows what’s in here now, you know?” customer Earnest Washington said. “It’s a good storage unit, but you never see anyone here — so that, maybe why he chose that spot because he sees that it’s a real quiet storage.”
Jabbar, the suspect in the deadly New Year’s Day attack on Bourbon Street, drove a truck into revelers in the French Quarter, killing 14 and injuring over 30. The incident has sparked investigations across multiple states to uncover the full scope of Jabbar’s actions and potential motives.
This discovery comes as FBI New Orleans released a new surveillance image of Jabbar riding a bike through the French Quarter before the attack. The image is part of ongoing efforts to trace Jabbar’s movements leading up to the tragedy.
Authorities have not disclosed the intended use of the sulfuric acid.
► Get breaking news from your neighborhood delivered directly to you by downloading the new FREE WWL-TV News app now in the IOS App Store or Google Play.