Turo app used in New Orleans, Las Vegas attacks: what to know

The trucks involved in the New Orleans and Las Vegas attacks were both rentals rented via car-sharing platform Turo. 

According to the FBI, now-deceased suspect Shamsud-Din Jabbar rented the white pickup truck that he plowed through New Orleans’ famous Bourbon Street early Wednesday morning as people were out celebrating the New Year. Fifteen people died. 

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In another incident on Wednesday, a Tesla Cybertruck loaded with gasoline canisters and fireworks near the Trump International Hotel Las Vegas exploded, according to local police. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said the driver "rented the vehicle in Colorado and arrived in Las Vegas at approximately 7:30 a.m. and drove through the Las Vegas Strip until it reached the hotel where the incident occurred." There was one death.

"We are heartbroken by the violence perpetrated in New Orleans and Las Vegas, and our prayers are with the victims and families," Turo said in a Wednedsay statement to Fox News. "We are actively partnering with law enforcement authorities as they investigate both incidents. We do not believe that either renter involved in the Las Vegas and New Orleans attacks had a criminal background that would have identified them as a security threat."

In a statement published on Turo's website Friday, CEO Andre Haddad said the company has been "investigating, partnering with law enforcement, and working around the clock to figure out how our platform could be misused by the perpetrators of such atrocities." 

"These individuals had valid driver's licenses, clean criminal backgrounds, and were decorated US military servicemembers," he said. "They could have boarded any plane, checked into any hotel, or rented a car or truck from any traditional vehicle rental chain. We do not believe these two individuals would have been flagged by anyone – including law enforcement."

Turo is "consulting with national security and counterterrorism expects to learn more about how we can get even better and play our part in helping prevent anything like this from happening ever again," according to the CEO.

The FBI said Thursday morning that there is "no definitive link" between the two incidents at this time.

How the app works

Turo users book rental vehicles on the platform through a multi-step process.

They "enter where and when you need a car, filter to find the best one for you, and read reviews from previous renters," according to the car-sharing app’s website. 

There are more than 1,600 "unique makes and models" on Turo, its website said. They are provided by "hosts," which Turo described as "everyday entrepreneurs who share cars in their communities." 

Turo users can get their car from a pickup location or delivered to them, according to the company. 

"Some hosts meet guests in person, while others opt for remote handoffs," Turo’s site explained.

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It said requirements to rent a car through the app include having a Turo account, holding a valid driver’s license and receiving approval to drive on Turo. It also asks for a home address and has different age requirements depending on the country, according to the website. 

"Every Turo renter is screened through a proprietary multi-layer, data-science-based trust and safety algorithm, the Turo Risk Score," Haddad said Friday. "We employ over 50 internal and external data sources to build, maintain, and improve on that Risk Score. This massive data set helps us drive actionable insights, and we continuously refine and enhance our algorithm."

He said the company also has an "experienced team of former law enforcement professionals in our Trust and Safety organization." 

Turo said in a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing that about 3.5 million guests rented vehicles over the 12-month period ending Sept. 30. 

The app is available in the U.S., Australia, France, the U.K. and parts of Canada. 

The Cybertruck that blew up in Las Vegas was rented in Colorado, the LVMPD said. Meanwhile, the rental of the pickup truck used in the New Orleans attack occurred in Texas, per the FBI. 

Who is Turo’s CEO? 

Turo is helmed by CEO Andre Haddad. 

He became the CEO of the peer-to-peer car-sharing company in 2011, according to his company biography. 

Prior to that, Haddad co-founded an online marketplace called iBazar that eBay bought in 2001. He spent about a decade at eBay after the acquisition, his Turo biography said. 

Turo was created by Shelby Clark in 2009.

Possible IPO in the future

Turo has been eyeing a possible initial public offering in recent years.

In 2022, it submitted a registration statement to the SEC for a proposed IPO. That came five months after it confidentially a draft registration statement. 

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Turo said in a November amendment to its filing that it had generated nearly $879.68 million in net revenue and over $14.71 million in net income over the course of 2023. In the first nine months of 2024, it saw $722.05 million in net revenue and $19.4 million in net income, according to the filing. 

Margaret Kerman contributed to this report.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to include Haddad's statement.