Tesla Employee Alleges Assault Preceded Austin Shooting, Sues Company

AUSTIN, TEXAS – Lillian Brady, a 65-year-old Tesla employee, filed a lawsuit against the automaker on March 6, 2026, alleging the company failed to protect her from a coworker who later carried out a mass shooting in Austin. The lawsuit centers on an alleged assault by Ndiaga Diagne at Tesla’s Gigafactory Texas on December 4, 2025, and Tesla’s subsequent handling of the incident.

Brady alleges that Diagne physically assaulted her even as she was on a break at the factory. According to the lawsuit, Diagne was “violently and without provocation” pushed Brady, causing her to fall and injure her back. She reported the incident to Tesla security and filed a report with the Manor Police Department, and later with the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, seeking to press charges.

The case took a tragic turn on March 1, 2026, when Ndiaga Diagne, 53, opened fire at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on West Sixth Street in Austin, killing three people and wounding fifteen others. Diagne was fatally shot by police at the scene. Hours after police identified Diagne as the shooter, Brady emailed Detective Joshua Garrison at the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, writing, “That’s him!!”, identifying Diagne as her assailant.

Brady’s pursuit of information about Diagne had been ongoing for months. She had been seeking his identity from Tesla and law enforcement following the December assault. According to correspondence reviewed by the Austin American-Statesman, Brady was informed by the Sheriff’s Office on March 2 that the investigation into the assault would be closed due to Diagne’s death. She expressed frustration that Tesla had not provided Diagne’s name sooner, suggesting that earlier identification could have prevented the shooting.

“I think this needs to be brought out that this individual probably wouldn’t have done this tragedy that he did on Sunday if something would have been done by Tesla,” Brady said during a press conference Friday, accompanied by her pastor. “If they were to release the name or arrest him on the spot – because we had deputies outside – maybe all this could have been avoided. Or at least be on their radar. Something would have happened.”

Brady began working at Tesla in January 2023, seeking a more lucrative position after working at Amazon. She held a role as a process assistant in the general assembly area of the Gigafactory. She described the December 4th incident, stating she encountered Diagne praying on the factory floor and attempted to walk around him when he allegedly pushed her, causing her to fall and injure her back. She sought medical attention, but her workers’ compensation claim was denied by Tesla, citing a pre-existing condition.

An account from Diagne shared with a neighbor paints a different picture of the December 4th incident. According to the neighbor, who requested anonymity due to their federal employment, Diagne had been frustrated by limited access to a designated prayer room at the factory. He reportedly began praying in a common area, leading to a confrontation with a supervisor who stepped on his prayer mat. Diagne allegedly “gently pushed” the supervisor to remove her foot from the mat, resulting in his termination from Tesla. Brady denies stepping on a prayer mat and maintains she is not a manager.

Following the March 1st shooting, Brady was contacted by the FBI. She was then approached by Tesla lawyers who advised her that any conversation with the FBI was voluntary and cautioned her against speaking with agents, according to Brady. She proceeded to speak with the FBI, detailing the alleged assault. The FBI has declined to comment on its interactions with Tesla or Brady, citing the ongoing investigation.

Hilliard Law, representing Brady, is seeking access to Tesla’s security footage from December 4th. The firm has also been contacted by victims and families of those affected by the shooting, seeking to understand whether the tragedy could have been prevented with earlier action by Tesla. “We already know the shooter violently assaulted a Tesla employee months before the Sixth Street shooting and Tesla had the shooter’s name and information about that earlier attack – why they chose not to act or warn law enforcement raises very serious questions the public deserves an answer to,” said Bob Hilliard, one of Brady’s attorneys.

Tesla has not responded to requests for comment regarding the allegations in the lawsuit or its handling of the incident. The Travis County Sheriff’s Office has also declined to comment, citing the ongoing litigation. The investigation into the shooting remains open, with authorities exploring potential motives, including a possible connection to U.S. Operations in Iran.