Austin Shooting: FBI Investigates Possible Terror Nexus After Sixth Street Attack
Federal and local investigators are probing the austin shooting that unfolded shortly before 2 a. m. on Sunday, March 1, 2026, outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on Sixth Street in downtown Austin, Texas. The attack left two people dead, 14 wounded and has prompted an FBI inquiry into a potential nexus to terrorism.
Austin Shooting investigation details
Alex Doran, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office, said in a press conference that it is still too early to determine a motive but that authorities found “indicators” on the alleged gunman and in his vehicle that “indicate potential nexus to terrorism. ” Federal agents and local law enforcement patrolled and investigated the scene on March 1, 2026, and the FBI is leading an inquiry alongside Austin police.
Sequence of events
Shortly before 2 a. m. Sunday, the suspect circled past Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on Sixth Street several times in a “large SUV, ” Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said in a press briefing. The suspect then stopped and opened fire with a pistol out of the vehicle window at people on the patio and gathered outside the bar. The suspect parked the vehicle, stepped out with an assault rifle, and started firing at people on the street. Officers responding to the incident shot and killed the gunman in what was described as a standoff.
Victims and injuries
The attack killed two people and wounded 14 early Sunday. Officials also said three people, including the suspect, were killed in the attack. All of those injured were transported to local hospitals, with three in critical condition, Austin EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said at the Sunday briefing. The names of the victims were released as of Sunday night. University of Texas at Austin President Jim Davis confirmed members of the university community were among those affected but said those individuals have not been publicly identified. “Our prayers are with the victims and all those impacted, including members of our Longhorn family, and my heart goes out to their families, friends, classmates, professors, and loved ones, ” Davis said. “As Longhorns, we feel this pain together. ”
Suspect background and vehicle
The Austin Police Department identified the suspect as Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old man. Diagne was born in Senegal and first came to the U. S. in 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa, a Department of Homeland Security statement said. He married a U. S. citizen in 2006 and became a lawful per — unclear in the provided context. Observers and witnesses noted the suspect wore clothing bearing an Iranian flag design and the words “Property of Allah, ” and Nathan Comeaux witnessed and recorded the final moments of the incident.
Official reactions and responses
The shooting occurred one day after the U. S. and Israel launched a major military campaign against Iran. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who expressed support for the strike on Iran, said: “To anyone who thinks about using the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texans or our critical infrastructure, understand this clearly: Texas will respond with decisive and overwhelming force to protect our state. ” Abbott had directed the Texas Military Department a day before the incident to activate service members to “work alongside state and federal partners to safeguard our communities and critical infrastructure, ” and he directed the state’s Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard to “intensify patrols and surveillance. ”
