{"id":240668,"date":"2026-04-08T17:46:26","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T17:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/240668\/"},"modified":"2026-04-08T17:46:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T17:46:26","slug":"three-dead-including-suspect-and-14-injured-after-austin-shooting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/240668\/","title":{"rendered":"Three dead, including suspect, and 14 injured after Austin shooting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy on our About page<\/a> and give us feedback<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At least three people \u2014 including the suspected gunman \u2014 are dead following a shooting early Sunday in downtown Austin, officials said. Fourteen others were injured.<\/p>\n

The suspected shooter has been identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, Austin police said<\/a> Sunday night.<\/p>\n

The motive of the suspected gunman is still unclear. But Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of FBI San Antonio, said that there were \u201cindicators\u201d of a \u201cpotential nexus to terrorism.\u201d He added that the FBI\u2019s Joint Terrorism Task Force as well as its other specialty teams are involved in the investigation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of specifically what type of terrorism, we\u2019re just at this point prepared to say that it was potentially an act of terrorism,\u201d Doran said during a news conference.\u00a0<\/p>\n

During the shooting, Diagne wore a sweatshirt with \u201cProperty of Allah\u201d written across the front and a shirt with an Iranian flag design, according to The Associated Press. Citing anonymous sources briefed on the investigation, the news organization also said Diagne was originally from Senegal and came to the U.S. in 2006 and became a naturalized U.S. citizen.<\/p>\n

The Texas Department of Public Safety has also been directed to ramp up patrols and add law enforcement personnel in the area during weekends, Gov. Greg Abbott<\/a> said in a news release<\/a>. He also referenced in the statement the escalating strikes<\/a> in the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli bombings in Iran over the weekend, though law enforcement has not explicitly said that was a motive in the Austin shooting. A day earlier, the governor said he has directed DPS and the Texas National Guard to increase surveillance and patrols at critical sites \u2014 such as energy facilities, ports, and southern border \u2014 in a statement on the US strikes against Iran.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo 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,\u201d the governor said on Sunday.<\/p>\n

There is so far no public indication that the suspected gunman wanted to target key infrastructure. Abbott\u2019s office clarified that the effort to protect critical infrastructure is proactive work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The first call about the shooting at Buford\u2019s, a popular beer garden, came in just before 2 a.m.\u00a0<\/p>\n

A large SUV drove around the block several times prior to the shooting, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. She said the suspected gunman then rolled down his windows and began shooting out of his car with a pistol, striking patrons at the bar. He then switched to a rifle after parking and exiting his vehicle and continued shooting, according to Davis.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Paramedics and police officers responded to the call within a minute, coming over from East Sixth Street which hosts the city\u2019s busiest entertainment district.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the scene, police fatally shot the suspected gunman, Davis said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Officials said the gunman killed two people, whose names have not been released as of Sunday evening. Fourteen people were transported to the hospital, according to Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz. Among them, three were in critical condition.<\/p>\n

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said the shooting has \u201cbrought significant trauma\u201d to the city. He also praised the rapid response by police and rescuers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is no question in my mind that the quick response of the police officers and of our EMS personnel and most professionals made a difference and saved lives,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Politicians at all levels have similarly expressed appreciation for the first responders and called for prayers for the victims.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe stand with the victims. We stand with their families. And we stand firmly for law, order, and the safety of every Texan,\u201d Dustin Burrows<\/a>, the Republican Speaker of the Texas House, said in a post<\/a> on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u2018No one should ever have to see that\u2019<\/p>\n

Although officials have not released the names of the victims, Jim Davis, president of the University of Texas at Austin, said the campus community is feeling the impact of the shooting.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cOur 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,\u201d Davis said in a statement<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to express my gratitude to the first responders and medical teams whose actions helped protect and save lives. I also want to thank the dedicated counselors and staff members in our Dean of Students Office who have been communicating with families and students, visiting those injured in hospitals, and providing care and support throughout the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kelson Li, 25, was about a block away from Buford\u2019s on West Sixth Street when he said he heard around six gunshots. He walked inside to look for a friend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI see about seven to eight bodies on the floor,\u201d Li told the Austin Current. \u201cNo one should ever have to see that\u2026 Makes me really sad. Those are people who are brothers and sisters, who have mothers and fathers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Li said first responders arrived shortly after he did. Videos he shared show medics, police officers and bystanders rushing to help victims, some administering CPR.<\/p>\n

\u201cI kind of blacked out, froze up. I felt kind of helpless because I wanted to help people,\u201d Li said. \u201cSomething compelled me to start recording\u2026 people need to see the actual impact of this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Austin City Council Member Zo Qadri, who represents Austin\u2019s downtown, told the Current he is still in disbelief over the news.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are still folks identifying victims and looking for loved ones,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s just a gut-punch\u2026for myself and so many others.\u201d<\/p>\n

Political reactions to the shooting\u00a0<\/p>\n

While casting Sunday\u2019s shooting as senseless violence, Democratic and Republican politicians took partisan stances on public policy changes the shooting signals.<\/p>\n

In a joint statement, the Texas House Democrats representing the Austin area said gun violence \u201ccontinues to steal the lives of far too many Texans.\u201d Democrats representing Austin in Congress have similarly denounced the issue, with U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett calling<\/a> the loss of life preventable.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe must end America\u2019s gun violence epidemic,\u201d U.S. Rep. Greg Casar posted<\/a> on X. \u201cAmericans should be able to have fun at a bar without it turning into an unspeakable nightmare like this one\u2014 and I will redouble my efforts in Congress to prevent the next tragedy like this.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not immediately clear how the suspected shooter obtained the firearms.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Republicans have instead focused their responses on Islamic extremism and immigration, amid a rise in both anti-immigration and anti-Muslim rhetoric<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMuslim immigrant violence \u2013 naturalized or not \u2013 is preventable,\u201d U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, the Austin Republican running for the state\u2019s attorney general role, said in a post<\/a> on X. His competitors in the primary, including Aaron Reitz<\/a> and Mayes Middleton<\/a>, have issued similar messages on social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Abbott also cast doubt on the country\u2019s immigration and naturalization processes.<\/p>\n

\u201cAllowing unvetted immigrants who are hostile to America, who are loyal to our adversaries like Iran, must end. This was an act of terror, James,\u201d the governor said in a post<\/a> on X in response to a comment<\/a> made by state Rep. James Talarico<\/a>, D-Austin. \u201cThe way to end it is to end the current open immigration policies. You and your immigration policies would make America less safe.\u201d<\/p>\n

The AP has reported that Diagne was a naturalized citizen, although it\u2019s not clear when that happened. The naturalization process has long required a criminal background check<\/a> conducted by the FBI.<\/p>\n

DHS didn\u2019t immediately respond to the Tribune\u2019s comment request for further details about the suspected gunman\u2019s immigration history.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Diagne\u2019s full criminal history is also not immediately clear, though a search of the Travis County and federal court databases shows no records for him. The Austin Police Department didn\u2019t immediately respond to the Tribune\u2019s comment request.<\/p>\n

Talarico, who is running for U.S. Senate, retorted in a subsequent post<\/a>: \u201cDangerous people should not be allowed into the country. Dangerous people should not be allowed to get guns. Texans understand this \u2014 you apparently don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

In a statement<\/a>, the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the attack while saying that it rejects any efforts to blame the whole community based on one individual\u2019s action. Texas Republican leaders have also recently sued<\/a> CAIR, the nation\u2019s largest Muslim civil rights group, and called<\/a> it a terrorist organization. That designation prompted a lawsuit<\/a> from CAIR.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile a single person carried out this heinous attack last night, hundreds of thousands of Texas Muslims finished their night prayers and headed to their homes while calling on God for global peace and justice,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n

This article<\/a> first appeared on The Texas Tribune<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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