Two people were killed and more than a dozen others injured in a shooting outside a beer garden in Austin, in what the FBI says may be linked to terrorism.
Police said officers responding to reports of an active shooter around 2:00am (08:00 GMT) on Sunday near Buford’s bar shot and killed the suspect, bringing the total number of dead to three, including the gunman.
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The suspect has been identified by US media, including CBS News, as Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalised American citizen born in Senegal. Authorities have not officially confirmed his identity.
Shooting in entertainment district
According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, officers were already on patrol in the city’s busy nightlife areas when they received reports of a man with a gun at Buford’s, located on West Sixth Street, not far from the popular East Sixth Street bar district.
Davis said the suspect drove past the bar in a large SUV, activated the vehicle’s hazard lights, rolled down his window and fired a pistol at people gathered on the patio and sidewalk outside.
He then parked nearby, exited the vehicle armed with a rifle and began walking back towards the bar. Three police officers confronted him at an intersection and shot him dead.
Officials said the SUV was searched and no explosives were found.
FBI investigating possible terrorism link
Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio office, said there were indications inside the vehicle and on the suspect that suggested a “nexus to terrorism”.
However, he cautioned that the investigation remained in its early stages and that he was “not prepared to release those details”.
“We are committed to seeing this process through to the very end,” Doran said.
Police have not publicly identified a motive.
Victims and witness accounts
Of the 14 people taken to hospital, three were in critical condition, according to Austin-Travis County Emergency Management Services head Rob Luckritz.
Kelson Lee, 25, told local outlet Austin Current that he was nearby when gunfire erupted.
“I see about seven to eight bodies on the floor,” he said. “No one should ever have to see that.
“I kind of blacked out, froze up. I felt kind of helpless because I wanted to help people.”
Authorities said the rapid police response – estimated at 57 seconds – likely prevented further casualties.
Political leaders respond
Donald Trump has been briefed on the shooting, according to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Republican Senator Ted Cruz condemned what he called a “senseless act of violence” and said his office was coordinating with local, state and federal authorities.
“I’m grateful for the heroic and quick response from law enforcement,” he wrote on social media.
Greg Abbott said the attack would not “shake the resolve of Texans”, while Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised the speed of the emergency response, saying officers had “definitely saved lives”.
University community affected
Austin is home to the Texas state capitol and the University of Texas at Austin, located less than two miles (3.2km) from Buford’s.
East and West Sixth Streets are popular weekend destinations for many of the university’s roughly 55,000 students.
Jim Davis, president of the university, said in a statement: “Our prayers are with the victims and all those impacted, including members of our Longhorn family, and my heart goes out to their families, friends, classmates, professors, and loved ones.”
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing as federal and local officials work to determine whether the shooting was ideologically motivated.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Source · 01 March 2026