Austin shooting suspect wore Iranian flag shirt during attack, sources say
Authorities said they found an Iranian flag and photos of regime leaders in the apartment of the gunman in the shooting outside a bar in Austin, Texas, on Sunday morning.
The flag and the images were discovered during a search of the suspect's home, according to CBS News, after the shooting early Sunday morning that left three people dead and 14 wounded.
The shooter was also wearing a sweatshirt that read "Property of Allah" and an undershirt featuring an Iranian flag when he carried out the attack, according to law enforcement sources.
The suspect, identified as Ndiaga Diagne, was a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen who was born in Senegal and lived in Pflugerville, Texas, multiple federal law enforcement sources told Fox News.
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Diagne first entered the U.S. in 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa before becoming a lawful permanent resident six years later after marrying a U.S. citizen. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2013.
His criminal history includes being arrested in Texas in 2022 for collision with vehicle damage.
The shooting happened outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden shortly before 2 a.m. along Sixth Street, a nightlife destination filled with bars and music clubs located near the University of Texas at Austin.
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, but he never entered the bar.
Police shot and killed the gunman, who used a pistol and a rifle in the shooting.
"Today is a difficult day for our city and the University," the university's president, Jim Davis, said on X. "We are deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred early this morning in downtown Austin. Our prayers are with the victims and all those impacted, including members of our Longhorn family. We are also grateful to the first responders who acted quickly to save lives, and to our UT counselors and staff members who have provided care and support throughout the day."
The FBI said the shooting was a possible act of terrorism, as authorities continue to investigate.
"Obviously, it's still way too early in the process to determine an exact motivation, but there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism," Alex Dorn, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office, said at a Sunday press conference.
"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.
Asked by a reporter if the case involved domestic or international terrorism, Dorn said the Joint Terrorism Task Force is engaged.
"We're just at this point prepared to say that it was potentially an act of terrorism," he said.