Texas Shooting in Austin Kills Three as FBI Sees Possible Terror Nexus
The texas shooting outside Buford's Backyard Beer Garden in Austin left three dead — including the attacker — and 14 people wounded,, and the FBI said it found indicators that suggested a possible nexus to terrorism.
Sequence of the attack
Around 2: 00 a. m. local time (08: 00 GMT) officers received calls about an active shooter near Buford's on West Sixth Street, police said; emergency services also logged a call at 1: 39 a. m. and said the first paramedics and officers were on scene within 57 seconds. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said a man in a large SUV drove past the bar several times, put on the vehicle's hazard lights, rolled down his window and fired a pistol, striking patrons on the patio and the pavement outside.
The suspect then parked nearby, got out carrying a rifle and began walking back toward the bar, Ms. Davis said. Three officers confronted the man at an intersection; they returned fire and shot and killed him.
Evidence found and the FBI's assessment
Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran of the FBI's San Antonio office said investigators had found indications in the SUV and on the suspect that suggested a "nexus to terrorism, " but he said the probe was in its early stages and he was not prepared to release details. "We are committed to seeing this process through to the very end, " he said.
Officials searched the SUV and said it was not carrying explosives.
Victims, injuries and medical response
Emergency services chief Rob Luckritz said 14 people were taken to hospital; three of those were in critical condition. Another official, identified in statements as Robert Luckritz, said three people were found dead at the scene. Witness Kelson Lee, 25, said he walked inside the bar after gunfire and saw "about seven to eight bodies on the floor, " and described feeling helpless as he tried to help people.
Suspect identified and background
Officials identified the gunman as Ndiaga Diagne. The Department of Homeland Security said Diagne was 53 years old and the man became a naturalised US citizen in 2013 after first entering the United States on a tourist visa in 2000 and becoming a lawful permanent resident six years later following marriage to a US citizen. DHS said he had a history of mental health issues.
the attacker used both a pistol and a rifle during the attack. Two sources familiar with the investigation said the gunman wore a sweatshirt bearing the words "Property of Allah, " and officials also said he was wearing a shirt with an Iranian flag and "IRAN" spelled across the front in green, white and red.
Wider context and official notifications
The shooting came a day after United States and Israeli strikes on Iran, a timing that has drawn FBI interest in a possible link. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump had been notified. Some commentary in the immediate aftermath characterized broader regional tensions, with one line of commentary in the coverage saying the attacks had tipped the Middle East into a larger conflict, but investigators in Austin have focused on the scene and the evidence recovered there.
Police and federal investigators continue to probe motive and the items found in and on the suspect and his vehicle; officials have not released a final motive. The FBI described the investigation as ongoing and said it would provide more information as investigators complete their work.
