A mass shooting becomes a federal terror investigation
A gunman opened fire outside Buford's Bar on West Sixth Street in downtown Austin early Sunday morning, killing two people and wounding 14 others before police shot and killed him at a nearby intersection. What began as a local homicide investigation has now shifted to federal terrorism probe, with the FBI's joint terrorism taskforce taking the lead after agents found what they describe as "indicators" of a potential terror connection.
The suspect, identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal, was wearing a sweatshirt that read "Property of Allah" and a shirt with an Iranian flag design when he carried out the attack. Federal authorities, according to people familiar with the investigation, are examining whether the shooting was motivated by Middle East tensions. However, FBI officials have not confirmed any direct link to the Middle East conflict.
How the attack unfolded
The first 911 call came around 1:58 a.m. Police Chief Lisa Davis said the suspect drove around the block multiple times, then activated his flashers and fired a pistol at customers on the bar's outdoor patio. He then parked on another street and fired a rifle at pedestrians before officers engaged and killed him near East Sixth Street.
Three of the 14 hospitalized victims remain in critical condition. The first paramedic arrived within 57 seconds of the initial call, likely preventing additional deaths.
What investigators found
Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of the FBI's San Antonio field office, told reporters that evidence recovered on the suspect and in his vehicle pointed to a "potential nexus to terrorism." According to law enforcement officials, an intelligence assessment indicated the shooter had expressed "pro-Iranian regime sentiment."
No explosives were found in the suspect's van. Doran stressed that it remains too early to determine the shooter's exact motivation. The FBI has declined to characterize whether it is treating the case as domestic or foreign terrorism. The investigation is ongoing.
A shift in law enforcement response
Texas Governor Greg Abbott drew a connection to Middle East tensions in a statement Sunday, saying he directed state troopers to increase weekend patrols along Sixth Street. "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 said.
West Sixth Street, home to bars and restaurants popular with University of Texas students, sits blocks from Austin's historic East Sixth Street entertainment district, where police and emergency services have increased their presence in recent years. The FBI's joint terrorism taskforce has taken the lead in the investigation after agents found what they describe as "indicators" of a potential terror connection.
