The FBI has announced that a shooting spree in downtown Austin, Texas, which resulted in the deaths of three individuals and injuries to 14 more, might be linked to terrorism.
Law enforcement sources informed Fox News that the suspect, aged 53, was a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal, residing in Pflugerville, Texas.
These sources reported that the suspect was dressed in attire emblazoned with the word “Allah” and wore an undershirt displaying the Iranian flag.
The incident unfolded shortly before 2 a.m. near Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on West Sixth Street, a bustling area known for its nightlife. According to police, the shooter circled the vicinity multiple times in a large SUV before launching the attack.
The assailant, identified by federal sources as the shooter, was captured on video with a rifle while wearing a hoodie with references to “Allah” before being fatally shot by police. This footage was obtained by Fox News.
During a press conference on Sunday, Alex Dorn, the acting special agent leading the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office, stated, “While it is still early in the investigation to pinpoint the motive, there are elements concerning the individual and his vehicle that suggest a possible connection to terrorism.”
“Again, it’s still too early to make a determination on that. That’s why we are investigating it very closely with our partners with Austin police department,” Dorn added.
At least three people died and 14 others were injured after a gunman opened fire at a crowded Austin bar early Sunday, police said. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
When pressed by a reporter on whether the case involved domestic or international terrorism, Dorn said the Joint Terrorism Task Force is engaged.
Austin-Travis County EMS said three victims were killed after a bar shooting. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
“We’re just at this point prepared to say that it was potentially an act of terrorism,” he added.
Police Chief Lisa Davis said the gunman “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.”
The suspect then drove westbound on Sixth Street to Wood Street, parked, exited the vehicle with a rifle and continued shooting at pedestrians, Davis said.
Authorities said the first responders arrived within a minute of the 1:39 a.m. call and began treating victims immediately. (Ricardo B. Brazziell/Austin American-Statesman via AP)
“He never entered the bar,” she added.
Officers staged nearby for weekend crowds responded within about “55-56 seconds,” Davis said. Police shot and killed the suspect at an intersection.
The shooting comes amid ongoing safety concerns along Austin’s Sixth Street entertainment strip, which has seen multiple violent incidents in recent years as police and business owners work to improve crowd-control measures, according to local KVUE.
“There is chaos in front of that bar every weekend, OK? This is not a new thing,” Hugo Mendez, owner of Blindside Tattoos and Blindside Lounge, told the outlet. “It’s not necessarily Sixth Street. It’s certain bars… that don’t carry the standard.”
Authorities have set up a Victim Services Unit hotline for families seeking information.
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