Mass shooter behind deadly Austin rampage had potential terrorism ties, FBI says

Federal officials on Sunday identified the gunman behind the deadly mass shooting at a bar in Austin, Texas, which is also being investigated for potential ties to terrorist groups.

The Department of Homeland Security said the shooter was Ndiaga Diagne, 53, a Senegalese native who became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2013.

Officials said Diagne was the man who donned a “Property of Allah” sweatshirt while killing two people and wounding more than a dozen others early Sunday after opening fire on bar patrons in one of Austin’s nightlife hotspots.

Authorities said Diagne was also wearing a T-shirt with the Iranian flag on it when he used a handgun and then a rifle to carry out his rampage. 

Police shot and killed him less than a minute after he began firing on the crowd around 2 a.m. Sunday.

Fourteen people were injured in the shooting, police said, with three of the victims still in critical condition Sunday evening.

The attack in Austin happened less than 24 hours after the U.S. and Israel carried out a joint military strike in Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and numerous other top government officials.

“Obviously it’s still way too early in the process to determine the exact motivation, but there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism,” said Alex Doran, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio field office.

Advertisement Advertisement

Mr. Doran did not elaborate on what those indicators were. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force had been called to assist the investigation from the start.

Officials familiar with the investigation said detectives found a Quran in Diagne’s car, the New York Post reported.

Diagne came to the States on a tourist visa in 2000, officials said, and then became lawful permanent resident six years later after marrying a U.S. citizen.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the gunman drove to Buford’s Backyard Bar on Sixth Street while the popular late-night haunt began emptying out for closing time.

“At one point, he put his flashers on, rolled down his window, and began using a pistol, shooting out of his car windows, striking patrons of the bar that were on the patio and that were in front of the bar,” Chief Davis said.

Advertisement Advertisement

The suspect then zipped down the street, hopped out of his car and used a rifle to shoot people on the sidewalk, the chief said.

Police already patrolling the city’s nightlife corridor shot and killed the gunman less than a minute after his attack began.

“Our hearts go out to the people that are victims of this and I want to reiterate my thanks to our public safety officers and officials that so rapidly were on the scene, they definitely saved lives,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said.

Gov. Greg Abbott warned against anyone trying to “use the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texas.”

Advertisement Advertisement

• This article was based in part on wire-service reports.

• Matt Delaney can be reached at mdelaney@washingtontimes.com.