A gunman opened fire in Austin, Texas, on Saturday, prompting an investigation into a potential connection to escalating tensions following U.S. And Israeli strikes in Iran that reportedly killed Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the nation’s supreme leader. Law enforcement officials are examining whether the suspect was inspired by the overseas conflict, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) law enforcement bulletin obtained by ABC News.
The bulletin warned of potential lone-wolf attacks and cyberattacks in the wake of the strikes. While a large-scale physical attack is considered unlikely, the DHS assessment states that Iran and its proxies “probably pose a persistent threat of targeted attacks in the Homeland, and will almost certainly escalate retaliatory actions—or calls to action—if reports of the Ayatollah’s death are confirmed.”
The immediate concern outlined in the bulletin centers on potential low-level cyberattacks, specifically “website defacements and distributed denial-of-service attacks” carried out by Iran-aligned hacktivists. However, the bulletin too acknowledges the possibility of individuals within the U.S. Being motivated to violence. “Lone offenders in the Homeland have not historically been motivated by issues related to Iran,” the bulletin reads, “however, the existential threat to the Iranian regime and increased US or Israeli actions could prompt some US-based violent extremists or hate crime perpetrators to attack targets perceived to be Jewish, pro-Israel, or linked to the US government or military.”
Authorities investigating the Austin shooting discovered the suspect was wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with “Property of Allah” and a shirt displaying the Iranian flag. Officials are also investigating the suspect’s mental health, according to ABC News sources.
The DHS warning comes as the FBI and Department of Homeland Security have reportedly been placed on a “war footing” due to Iran’s history of plotting retaliatory attacks, including past attempts on the life of former President Donald Trump, according to a report from USA Today.
Derek Mayer, former assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service’s Chicago field office, emphasized the constant vigilance required by law enforcement. “I think law enforcement authorities are concerned about attacks happening every day,” Mayer, now chief security officer and vice president of executive protection at P4, told ABC News. “And obviously, yesterday with the bombings taking place in Iran, the attacks could come even at a higher rate, but it’s your schools, it’s your churches, it’s at your airports.”
Mayer described a heightened security posture across the country, including increased patrols in high-traffic areas and around government facilities, as well as intensified intelligence monitoring and counter-surveillance operations.
The timing of these heightened security concerns is complicated by a partial government shutdown stemming from a congressional impasse over funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Thousands of DHS employees, including Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers, are currently working without pay, even as the nation faces an elevated threat level. Republican lawmakers have criticized the shutdown, arguing that political disagreements are jeopardizing national security, while Democrats are seeking stricter oversight of ICE operations. The shutdown continues as of Monday, March 2, 2026, with no immediate resolution in sight.
