Police said the gunman was killed at the scene after firing from a vehicle and then on foot.
AUSTIN, TX — Federal agents joined Austin police on Sunday after a gunman opened fire outside a busy Sixth Street bar district, killing two people and wounding 14 others before officers shot and killed him, authorities said. Investigators are examining whether the attack was tied to overseas conflict and extremist messaging.
The FBI activated its Joint Terrorism Task Force to help determine the shooter’s motive after law enforcement officials said the suspect wore clothing with an Iranian flag design and a sweatshirt reading “Property of Allah.” The shooting came as tensions were running high following U.S. and Israeli military action targeting Iran, and officials said they were working to learn whether the gunman acted alone, planned the attack, or chose the location for a specific reason.
Austin police said the gunfire erupted outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden, a nightlife spot in the entertainment corridor near the University of Texas. Officers responding to frantic emergency calls confronted the gunman and killed him at the scene, police said. Two other people died from gunshot wounds, and the wounded were taken to hospitals across the area. Officials said several victims were in critical condition as doctors worked to stabilize them.
Authorities identified the suspect as Ndiaga Diagne, 53, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal who had been living in Texas for several years. Police Chief Lisa Davis said investigators were trying to map Diagne’s movements in the hours before the shooting, including how he arrived and how long he was parked near the bar. “We’re going to follow the facts wherever they lead,” Davis said, adding that detectives were interviewing witnesses and collecting video from businesses and street cameras.
Investigators said the shooter used more than one firearm, including a handgun and a rifle. According to officials familiar with the early findings, the gunman began firing from inside or near a vehicle and then continued shooting after he got out, sending people running for cover along a stretch known for late-night crowds. Police said the quick arrival of officers helped stop the gunman from moving deeper into the entertainment district, where more people were gathered.
As detectives searched the suspect’s vehicle and other locations tied to him, officials said they found items that intensified questions about motive, including a Quran inside the vehicle. Authorities also reviewed the suspect’s online presence after the shooting, looking for statements that could show why he carried out the attack and whether he had communicated with anyone beforehand. The FBI said it had not confirmed that the suspect acted on behalf of any organized group, and officials cautioned that clothing or posted messages do not, by themselves, prove direction by a foreign government.
City and federal officials said Diagne was not on law enforcement’s radar for terrorism-related investigations before the shooting. That point, investigators said, is now a focus as they examine whether there were warning signs that were missed or never reported. Authorities said they were also reviewing information related to the suspect’s mental health history and prior contacts with local systems, while stressing that mental illness is not the same as violent intent and that the investigation must be driven by evidence from the crime scene and the suspect’s actions.
On Sunday afternoon, the Sixth Street blocks closest to the shooting remained lined with yellow tape as detectives walked the area and evidence teams worked under portable lights. Investigators marked shell casings, collected clothing and personal items left behind during the panic, and photographed damage to nearby structures. Police said they expected the number of witnesses to be large because of the location and time of day, and they asked business owners to preserve camera footage that might show the gunman’s route or moments leading up to the first shots.
Officials have not publicly released the names of the two people killed by the shooter, saying notifications were still being handled for family members. Among the 14 wounded, authorities said injuries ranged from critical gunshot wounds to less severe injuries suffered while people fled. A hospital official said some victims required emergency surgery, while others were treated and released. Police said they were coordinating with hospitals to confirm each patient’s status and to ensure that victims were connected with family members.
The scene unfolded in a part of downtown Austin that draws thousands of visitors on weekends, especially during major events and campus gatherings. Sixth Street is known for tightly packed bars and music venues, and police said the density of the area makes fast-moving incidents particularly dangerous. Witnesses described hearing rapid pops and seeing people sprint toward side streets, duck behind cars, and crowd into doorways as security staff pulled patrons inside and locked doors.
“It was just chaos,” said Mark Hernandez, who said he was standing in line outside a nearby venue when the shooting started. Hernandez said he saw people drop to the ground and others grab strangers by the arm to pull them behind cover. “You could tell nobody knew where it was coming from at first,” he said. Another witness, Jenna Patel, said she heard a burst of shots and then a pause that felt like “forever” before more gunfire. “Everyone was screaming,” Patel said. “We were just trying to get away.”
Authorities said the investigation will include ballistic testing to match weapons to recovered casings and bullets, analysis of surveillance video to reconstruct the sequence of events, and a detailed timeline of the suspect’s travel. Agents also planned to examine whether the firearms were purchased legally, whether any had been modified, and how the suspect transported them. Police said they would not speculate publicly on the suspect’s ideology or motive until they could corroborate information through records, interviews, and forensic results.
In Austin, the attack renewed pressure on city leaders and law enforcement to address public safety in nightlife areas where crowds gather late into the night. Some residents called for more patrols and stronger security measures, while others said the incident underscored the broader issue of easy access to high-powered weapons. Officials said they were focused first on helping victims and completing a careful investigation, but acknowledged that the shooting would intensify debate at the state and national level.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state was increasing security posture in response to the incident and wider concerns about retaliation linked to international conflict. State officials said they were coordinating with local agencies and monitoring threats, though they did not describe a specific, credible threat beyond the Austin shooting. The White House said President Donald Trump was briefed on the attack, and federal officials said they would share updates as investigators learned more about the suspect’s background and intent.
Even as officials emphasized caution in drawing conclusions, the details released about the suspect’s clothing and the timing of the shooting placed immediate attention on possible political or religious signaling. Investigators said they were working to separate what was performative from what was operational: whether the suspect had targeted the bar district for symbolic reasons, or whether it was simply a place where he could find a crowd. They said they also needed to determine whether the suspect wrote or recorded any statement that could be authenticated and treated as evidence.
The FBI said it was conducting standard post-incident steps that can take days or weeks, including digital analysis of phones and computers, interviews with family members and associates, and coordination with intelligence partners. Officials said the Joint Terrorism Task Force’s involvement does not automatically mean the case will be charged as terrorism, but reflects the need to quickly assess motive and any broader threat. Austin police said the criminal investigation would continue even though the shooter is dead, with a final public report expected after evidence is reviewed.
On Sunday night, a steady flow of people returned to the edges of the blocked-off area, leaving flowers and candles along sidewalks near the bar district. Some stood quietly, while others hugged and spoke in low voices about friends who had been out when the shooting started. “This is where people come to celebrate,” said Sandra Lopez, who said she came downtown after hearing about the attack. “It’s hard to believe it happened here.”
Authorities said the next public update would likely come after investigators complete initial interviews and review key video evidence. Police said additional details about the victims and the suspect would be released as soon as they could be confirmed and shared without compromising the investigation.
Author note: Last updated March 2, 2026.