(WXYZ) — After the attack in New Orleans on New Year's Day, I talked with two retired special agents in charge of the Detroit FBI field office to discuss the latest in the investigation.
They tell me beyond doing interviews with witnesses, family members and friends of the suspected attacker, agents are busy with a deep dive into his online activity and history.
Both Andy Arena and Dan Roberts point out that often, early information can be incorrect and establishing a possible link to a terror network can be time-consuming.
“It’s probably too early to tell for sure if he had any connection, it could be he’s a lone wolf radicalized in his basement. We see that quite a bit," Roberts said.
Hear more from Roberts in the video below
“The politicians show up and are saying things maybe they shouldn’t say or things shared with them by law enforcement. A lot of layers you really don’t need," Arena added.
“Two days later what does the investigation look like?” I asked Arena.
“A lot of it is social media profile. He obviously posted on social media before the event. Who was he in contact with and how did he become radicalized?" he said.
Hear more from Arena in the video below
Looking ahead, they tell me the FBI will look to gain a total picture of what unfolded before and during the attack.
The effort involves many agencies looking at everything, including the suspect's home life, military career and behavioral changes.
