Gunfire shattered the early-morning calm on Austin’s famed Sixth Street just before 2 a.m. Sunday, when a lone gunman opened fire outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden, killing two people and wounding 14 others in one of the city’s most brazen recent attacks. Within minutes, police confronted and fatally shot the suspect at a nearby intersection. Federal authorities are now examining whether the violence was an act of terrorism, unfolding as it did against the backdrop of recent U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran, according to reports.
According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the suspect circled the entertainment district in an SUV several times before stopping near the crowded patio, activating his hazard lights, and firing a pistol from the vehicle’s window at patrons seated outdoors and gathered along the sidewalk. He then parked, retrieved a rifle, and continued shooting on foot. Officers, already maintaining a heavy weekend presence in the nightlife corridor, arrived within roughly a minute of the first emergency call and engaged the gunman, bringing the rampage to an end.
Three victims remained in critical condition Sunday morning, authorities said. The shooting erupted in a densely packed stretch of bars and music venues a short walk from the University of Texas campus. University President Jim Davis wrote on social media that some of those injured were members of the “Longhorn family,” offering prayers and support as the campus community absorbed the shock.
The Department of Homeland Security identified the suspect as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, a native of Senegal. Records show he entered the United States in 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa, became a lawful permanent resident in 2006 after marrying a U.S. citizen, and was naturalized in 2013. A law enforcement official told The Associated Press that Diagne was wearing a sweatshirt reading “Property of Allah” and another shirt bearing an Iranian flag design at the time of the attack.
BREAKING: @FoxNews has obtained a photo of the Austin, TX mass shooter, armed & wearing a sweater that says “Property of Allah”. He has not been identified by authorities, but multiple federal law enforcement sources tell FOX he is a 53-year-old naturalized US citizen who was… pic.twitter.com/YjyT8sIuBr
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 1, 2026
Alex Doran, acting agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio office, said investigators found “indicators” on the suspect and inside his vehicle that warranted scrutiny of a potential terrorism nexus. “It’s still too early to make a determination on that,” Doran said Sunday morning, cautioning that the inquiry remains in its early stages.
President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting, the White House confirmed. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signaled that the state would respond forcefully if the Middle East conflict were leveraged to inspire violence on Texas soil. “We will not be intimidated, and we will not be terrorized,” Abbott said.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised first responders for their speed and coordination, remarking, “They definitely saved lives.” The Sixth Street district has long maintained a robust police presence on weekend nights, a factor that likely curtailed further casualties.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson credited Austin police and Austin-Travis County EMS for their swift response to the mass shooting Sunday morning, saying their quick actions "made a difference and saved lives."
MORE: https://t.co/0MTJyiJedi pic.twitter.com/3ppUJK0Dz2
— CBS Austin (@cbsaustin) March 1, 2026
Multiple local, state, and federal agencies continue to investigate the motive, the suspect’s background, and whether the attack was coordinated or inspired by events abroad. For now, the yellow tape and flashing lights along Sixth Street stand as a grim reminder of how quickly celebration can give way to catastrophe.
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