Chaos erupted on Austin's Sixth Street early Sunday when gunfire tore through Buford's Backyard Beer Garden just before 2 a.m., leaving three people dead and 14 wounded. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is exploring whether the attack may be linked to terrorism, officials confirmed.
In earlier reports, the shooter was identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, a native of Senegal who was granted US citizenship in 2013. He sustained a fatal gunshot injury during the onslaught at the shooting scene. The FBI is now looking into the rampage as a potential terrorist act, according to a report by Austin-American Statesman.
Special Agent Alex Doran of the FBI's San Antonio office said on Monday that drawing a conclusion on whether it was an act of terrorism and on the motive of the shooter required further analysis.
'There were indicators that on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism. Again, it's still too early to make a determination on that,' he said.
At a news conference, Special Agent Doran also said the most important thing is identifying Diagne's motive, 'Our ultimate goal in everything we do is to determine the motive.'
He cautioned that though the investigation is moving round-the-clock, any conclusions to determine what prompted the shooting would remain speculative at this point. He said, 'Any declarations on what led to that motive would be premature.'
Probe Continues; Three Victims Identified
Authorities continue to investigate the deadly shooting, focusing on both the shooter's actions and any potential wider connections. 'We're looking for connections that he possibly had, witnesses. As the chief (Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis) had mentioned, we are poring through thousands of hours of video– we have massive amounts of digital and physical evidence,' Special Agent Doran explained, highlighting the scale of the ongoing probe.
According to reports, the suspect had purchased the weapons he used in the rampage in San Antonio a few years ago, per Associated Press. Meanwhile, the identities of some of the victims, which include college students, have been confirmed.
Two of the victims fatally shot during the shootout were identified by authorities as Ryder Harrington, 19, a student of Texas Tech University, and Savitha Shan, 21, a senior at the University of Texas at Austin. The third fatality, Jorge Pederson, 30, was announced by the Austin Police Department to have also died of his injuries on Monday, after he was taken off life support.
A third person has died of wounds received in the Austin mass shooting that officials say may have been motivated by the strikes in Iranhttps://t.co/rEA88wbwaR pic.twitter.com/SptIIE3c9J
— CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) March 3, 2026
Over a dozen people were wounded during the shooting, and some remain in critical condition, per a BBC News report.
Officials Condemn Austin Shooting as Authorities Probe Possible Terror Links
Senator Ted Cruz took to social media to denounce the fatal shooting on Sunday. He wrote on his post, 'What happened early this morning in Austin was a senseless act of violence. My team and I are co-ordinating with local, state, and federal authorities.'
Third victim dies after Austin mass shooting on West Sixth Street https://t.co/neajavbj1F
— KVUE News (@KVUE) March 3, 2026
Governor Greg Abbott confirmed that federal and state officials are probing whether the violence was connected to terrorism. He said in a Monday news briefing, 'We will not rest until every last trail or piece of information is pursued to determine if there's anybody else involved in this whatsoever.'
He also noted that if there was anyone else involved, they would be tracked. 'And if so, obviously, we will track them down, find them, and bring them to justice.'
