Austin Shooting Prompts FBI Terror Probe After Deadly Sixth Street Bar Attack
Two people were killed and 14 others were wounded early Sunday when a gunman opened fire outside a packed downtown bar, an incident now under scrutiny by the FBI as a potential act of terrorism. The Austin Shooting has drawn a federal Joint Terrorism Task Force into the investigation after investigators found indicators on the suspect and in his vehicle.
Ndiaga Diagne: identity and background
Authorities identified the shooter as Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old man originally from Senegal who was described as a U. S. citizen. He was characterized in one account as formerly of The Bronx and was said to have lived in New York City for years, with at least four arrests recorded between 2001 and 2016; most of those records were sealed and one arrest was for illegal vending. Another account says Diagne came to the United States in 2006 and later became a naturalized citizen.
Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden: sequence of the attack
The shooting unfolded just before 2 a. m. outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on Sixth Street, a busy nightlife corridor a few miles from the University of Texas. Diagne drove past the bar several times before stopping; he put his vehicle’s flashers on, rolled down a window and fired a pistol out of his SUV at people on the patio and in front of the bar. He then parked, exited with a rifle and continued shooting at pedestrians as he moved down the block. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis described how he shot at patrons on the patio and struck people walking by, saying, "Once again, he starts shooting some people that are walking by. " Inside the multistory bar, responders found overturned tables and drinks abandoned by fleeing customers, and one victim was located in the street between two parked cars.
Austin Shooting: FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force joins investigation
The FBI’s San Antonio office has said the agency is treating the incident as a potential terrorism matter and has deployed its Joint Terrorism Task Force to assist. Alex Doran, identified by officials with the FBI’s San Antonio office, said, "There were indicators that on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism. Again, it’s still too early to make a determination on that. " The FBI statement and the presence of a task force reflect an escalation of the probe beyond local homicide and mass-shooting procedures.
Weapons, clothing, and possible motives
Investigators said the attacker used both a pistol and a rifle during the rampage. Accounts describe him wearing a sweatshirt bearing the words "Property of Allah" and an additional shirt displaying an Iranian flag design; officers also found a Quran in his vehicle and noted clothing described as Islamic garb. Unofficial accounts have suggested he was possibly motivated by U. S. strikes against Iran, though officials have emphasized that investigators have not reached a determination on motive.
Victims, emergency response and local reactions
First responders reached the scene in under a minute; three officers who were on routine patrol of the entertainment district arrived within 57 seconds, confronted the shooter and returned fire, killing him. Emergency teams rushed 14 patients to nearby hospitals; three of those patients were listed in critical condition. None of the victims had been publicly identified. The bar’s social feeds hours earlier showed large crowds dancing to a DJ with patrons singing along to songs such as Miley Cyrus’ "Party in the U. S. A. " and Kelly Clarkson’s "Since You Been Gone, " and a smoke machine was visible in the posted clips.
University of Texas President Jim Davis said some affected included "members of our Longhorn family" and added, "Our prayers are with the victims and all those impacted. " Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised the rapid response by police and rescuers. The scene prompted a multiagency emergency effort to secure the area and treat the wounded.
Context: Sixth Street history and other recent shootings
The Sixth Street entertainment district has seen high-profile shootings in recent years, with at least two other major incidents in the last five years, including one in the summer of 2021 that left 14 people wounded. Outside Austin, police in Cincinnati said an unrelated early-Sunday shooting at a nightclub and concert venue wounded nine people; interim police chief Adam Hennie said all nine suffered gunshot wounds but none were life-threatening.
What makes this notable is the convergence of local policing, federal terrorism resources and multiple indicators found on the suspect and in his vehicle, a combination that has broadened the inquiry from a city homicide response into a federal terrorism inquiry while investigators continue to piece together motive and timeline.
