NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-02-2025 8AM EST

Episode Date: January 2, 2025

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Live from NPR News in Washington on Corva Coleman, authorities are learning more about the man believed to have killed 15 people yesterday and wounded 35 more when he drove a truck into New Orleans crowds. Shamsu Dean Jabbar was shot and killed by police. The Texas newsroom's Lauren McGahee reports Jabbar spent more than a decade in the U.S. military. State records show Jabbar dabbled in real estate, starting a couple of businesses in Texas.

In a now-deleted video posted to YouTube, Jabbar said his time in the U.S. Army and Reserves taught him to, quote, take everything seriously, dotting I's and crossing T's to make sure that things go off without a hitch. After the military, Jabbar attended Georgia State University and got a degree in computer information systems, and more recently, worked at Deloitte. Addressing the tragedy yesterday, President Joe Biden said Jabbar posted videos to social media in the hours before the attack, expressing a desire to kill on behalf of ISIS. I'm Lauren McGahey in Austin, Texas. The FBI says agents found more weapons and what seemed to be an explosive device in Jabbar's

truck than authorities found more such devices in other parts of New Orleans. These have been rendered safe. Officers are also carefully searching the Superdome. That's where the Sugar Bowl was supposed to be played yesterday. That game has been postponed until this afternoon. Separately, authorities in Las Vegas are trying to learn more about a cyber truck that exploded yesterday in front of the Trump Hotel. The driver was killed when gasoline canisters and mortar-style fireworks exploded in the vehicle. Jeremy Schwartz is the FBI agent in charge and says officials have not identified the

driver. Our number one goal is to ensure that we have the proper identification of the subject involved in this incident. Following that, our second objective is to determine whether this was an act of terrorism or not. I know everybody's interested in that word and trying to see if we can say, hey, this is a terrorist attack. That is our goal and that's what we're trying to do. They also don't know if there is any evidence linking the incident in Las Vegas with the attack in New Orleans. President

-elect Trump wants to overhaul how the United States manages record-high homelessness. As NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports, Trump says he'll work with states to ban homeless encampments wherever possible. Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden,

NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden, NPR's Jennifer Ludden or mental problems. Billions in federal homeless spending aims to get people into housing first, then help them deal with any other problems. But Devin Kurtz with the conservative Cicero Institute says that's led to a shortage of addiction

and mental health programs. It's housing, housing, housing, housing. They don't want anything else. We just find that to be sort of foolish given the scale of unsheltered homelessness right now. Advocates for those who do not have a home of their own say the housing first approach has a proven track record and that forcing treatment does not work. Jennifer Ludden, NPR News, Washington.

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. New York City police are investigating a mass shooting that happened last night outside a nightclub in Queens. Authorities say 10 people were injured by several men who opened fire on them and fled. The victims range in age between 16 and 20. There were no fatalities. Police say the shooting is not related to terrorism. The first transgender U.S. official to be confirmed by the Senate will resign on Inauguration

Day. In an interview with NPR's Selena Simmons Duffin, Assistant Secretary for Health, Dr. Rachel Levine reflected on representing public health, the federal government, and the transgender community. Lavin says she's proud of the work her office has done on nutrition, climate change, and the HIV epidemic. She also reacted to the fact that the Trump campaign's anti-trans advertisements used her image. It was very challenging, you know, but I'm a resilient person and I'm fine.

And she reflected on what it has meant to live and work as a transgender woman. For anyone, having a secret is not a healthy thing to do. And so transitioning and coming out and, you know, being my true authentic self has been liberating to me. She says serving for nearly four years as a top health official in the Biden administration has been, quote, truly an honor. Selena Simmons-Duffin, NPR News, Washington. The National Weather Service says lots of snow is coming to the Great Lakes region over the next few days.

Parts of northern New York state could get more than two feet of snow. There are also winter storm watches and warnings posted from Washington state to Montana. A winter storm is also pummeling central Iowa this morning. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.