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President Donald Trump met with New Orleans’ first responders and family members of a New Year’s terror attack before the Super Bowl on Sunday.
Trump walked onto the field of the Caesars Superdome about 90 minutes before the game for a meet-and-greet with representatives from policy and emergency personnel, along with family members of victims from the Jan. 1 tragedy.
“This annual tradition transcends our differences and personifies our shared patriotic values of family, faith and freedom heroically defended by our military service members, law enforcement officers and first responders,” Trump said in a statement.
The attack in New Orleans occurred during the city’s New Year’s Eve celebrations. The New Orleans Police Department reported that the suspect opened fire on officers after their vehicle, a Ford pickup truck, was stopped.
The FBI stated that an ISIS flag, weapons, and a potential IED were discovered in the vehicle. The vehicle was reportedly rented from the car-sharing app Turo.
The FBI identified the driver as Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, an American citizen from Texas, the Associated Press reported. The driver reportedly ran over several individuals on a sidewalk, driving around a police car that was positioned to block vehicles. His vehicle was soon stopped and he reportedly exited the vehicle and opened fire before being killed by police.
Trump became the first sitting president to attend a Super Bowl. The U.S. Secret Service said in a statement on Tuesday that it had staff members in New Orleans evaluating security measures ahead of the planned visit of the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
“Extensive planning and coordination have been in place to ensure the safety of all attendees, players, and staff,” Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. “Security measures have been further enhanced this year, given that this will be the first time a sitting President of the United States will attend the event.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also met with Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry and New Orleans Police Captain Lejon Roberts last week to discuss security plans for Super Bowl LIX.
“Today, it’s an honor for me to be here with the governor and the mayor in New Orleans,” Noem said.
The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, giving the team its second Super Bowl championship.
