F.B.I. Investigating ‘Nexus to Terrorism’ at Texas Bar Shooting

The F.B.I. said it was too early to determine a motive in the shooting that killed two at an Austin bar, but added that the Joint Terrorism Task Force is involved in the investigation.

A shooting early Sunday morning that started at a bar in Austin, Texas, is being investigated by the F.B.I. as a potential act of terrorism, the authorities said.

Three were killed, including the shooter, and 14 others injured when gunfire broke out shortly before 2 a.m.

The shooting began when a gunman who was driving a large S.U.V. passed in front of Buford’s, a popular bar in downtown Austin, and opened fire from his vehicle. Patrons in front of the bar and on the bar’s patio were struck, local officials said at a Sunday news conference. The S.U.V. had circled the block a few times before the shooting.

The shooter then drove to a nearby street, parked and left his car, and began shooting at passers-by with a rifle, the authorities said. He walked toward an intersection, where he was shot and killed by the police after officers responded.

Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge at the F.B.I.’s San Antonio field office, which is assisting with the investigation, said it was too early to determine an exact motive, but certain “indicators on the subject and in his vehicle” pointed to a “potential nexus to terrorism.” The F.B.I.’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is involved in the investigation, he said.

Heightened tensions and security concerns have emerged across the country after attacks on Iran by the United States and Israel, and subsequent retaliation by Iran, over the weekend, although the authorities have not indicated any link between the events.

Medical workers arrived at the scene less than a minute after they received a call, officials said. Three people, including the shooter, were pronounced dead at the scene. Fourteen others were taken to the hospital; three of them were in critical condition.

Public safety officials credited the rapid response for interrupting the shooting spree before more people were killed.

“This is a really tough, tough time for the city of Austin,” Lisa Davis, the city’s police chief, said at the news conference. She added that the shooting had occurred in an area regularly patrolled by police and medical personnel on weekends, which allowed them to respond quickly.

“There are families right now that are unfortunately identifying their loved ones,” she said around 9:30 a.m. local time. “We have families that are at hospital rooms waiting for outcomes from surgery. That’s the reality of what we’re dealing with today.”

An audio recording of the incident, which was taken by a New York Times reporter who happened to be at the bar for an interview for an unrelated article, captured what happened.

As the rapid pop of gunfire rings out, the ambient noise stops, and a rapid shift in the crowd, from confusion to urgency, can be heard. Friends shout out to one another, and curious voices ask what happened. Minutes later, there is a second volley of shots, immediately followed by running and shouting.

“Our hearts go out to the individual victims and their families,” Mayor Kirk Watson of Austin said, adding that the city would work diligently to keep the public informed of further details that emerge.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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