Former co-worker at Fort Liberty describes New Orleans attack suspect: 'No signs of anything'

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- The suspects in the New Orleans and Las Vegas attacks both have ties to Fort Liberty and the Fayetteville area.

Retired Sgt. 1st Class Edward Rutledge said he couldn't believe that the man authorities say carried out the terror attack in New Orleans is the same one who worked in his section in the 82nd Airborne around 2014.

"He didn't show no signs of anything or even come across our minds that he would do something like that years later down the line," Rutledge said.

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Shamsud-Din Jabbar stayed at an apartment complex on Abbotts Park Drive in Fayetteville at one point during his service at then-Fort Bragg. The Army said Jabbar earned several military awards including medals for conduct, his service in Afghanistan, a NATO medal, and for his work in the Global War On Terrorism.

Authorities said the suspect in the Las Vegas explosion, Matthew Alan Livelsberger, once served at Fort Bragg as well. Livelsberger was on leave from his base in Germany and was most recently a Special Forces Operations Sergeant for the Green Berets.

But authorities say they have no record that the two served in the same unit or the same span.

Rutledge said these two incidents apparently involving attackers with Army backgrounds show that the US military needs to take the mental health and overall wellbeing of soldiers and vets more seriously.

"I just think they need to reiterate the importance of seeking help if you're going through some type of mental problems. I think that's kind of died down a bit," Rutledge said.

Authorities noted that Jabbar and Livelsberger both served in Afghanistan in 2009, but that they were in different locations and units and had different backgrounds.

They also said they don't believe there is a link between the New Orleans attack and the Las Vegas explosion at this time.