Two people were killed and 14 injured in a shooting early Sunday morning near a bar in downtown Austin, Texas, prompting a large-scale police response and an FBI investigation into a possible terrorism motive. The suspect, identified as Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. Citizen born in Senegal, was fatally shot by police at the scene.
The shooting occurred shortly before 2 a.m. Outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on Sixth Street, a popular entertainment district. According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the suspect drove past the bar multiple times in a large SUV before opening fire on people gathered on the patio and outside the establishment.
Federal investigators are examining potential links between the shooting and the recent U.S.-Israel military operation against Iran, according to Alex Doran, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office. Authorities have noted that the suspect was wearing clothing with references to both Allah and Iran, including a T-shirt with an Iranian flag design. An Iranian flag was also reportedly found in the suspect’s home, along with photos of Iranian leaders.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has publicly supported the recent strike against Iran, directed the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard to increase patrols and surveillance across the state on Saturday, a day before the shooting. “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 stated.
Diagne entered the U.S. In March 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa and became a lawful permanent resident in 2006 based on marriage to a U.S. Citizen. He naturalized as a U.S. Citizen in 2013. Law enforcement officials also revealed that Diagne was arrested in Texas in 2022 for an incident involving vehicle damage.
One of the victims has been identified as a 19-year-old college student. The second victim’s name has been released by Austin Police. The identities of the 14 injured individuals have not yet been publicly disclosed.
The FBI is currently investigating whether the shooting constitutes an act of terrorism, but a definitive motive remains under investigation. President Donald Trump has been briefed on the situation, according to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt.
The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not released further details regarding potential connections between the suspect and any extremist groups or foreign entities. The FBI’s San Antonio field office is leading the investigation, with assistance from the Austin Police Department and other federal agencies.
