AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Authorities have identified the shooter responsible for the tragic incident at a bar in Texas early Sunday, which resulted in two fatalities and left 14 others injured, as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, according to a law enforcement source and another individual familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press.
According to several individuals familiar with the investigation, Diagne hails from Senegal. One source informed the AP that Diagne arrived in the U.S. in 2006 and later became a naturalized citizen. The individuals requested anonymity as they were not permitted to disclose details about the investigation publicly.
Authorities in Austin fatally shot the assailant, who employed both a handgun and a rifle during the incident, according to police reports. The FBI indicated that the shooting is being treated as a possible act of terrorism.
According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the suspect circled the bar multiple times before halting and firing a handgun from his SUV at individuals seated on a patio and those in front of the establishment.
The shooter then stopped the vehicle, exited with a firearm, and started firing at individuals in the vicinity before officers who arrived at the scene returned fire, according to Davis.
In the past five years, Austin’s Sixth Street entertainment district has witnessed at least two other notable shootings, including one in the summer of 2021 that resulted in 14 injuries. While this weekend’s incident does not qualify as a mass shooting, there have been five such events recorded this year.
The FBI is looking into whether the shooting that occurred early Sunday qualifies as an act of terrorism due to certain “indicators” discovered on the shooter and within his vehicle, according to Alex Doran, the acting head of the FBI’s San Antonio division.
“It’s premature to reach a conclusion on that,” Doran remarked.
The incident occurred just before 2 a.m. outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on Sixth Street, a popular nightlife area known for its bars and music venues, located only a few miles from the University of Texas.
The president of the school stated on social media that some of those affected were “members of our Longhorn community.”
“We extend our thoughts and prayers to the victims and everyone affected,” stated university President Jim Davis.
According to Davis, the entertainment district experiences a significant police presence during weekends, allowing officers to engage the shooter within a minute of the initial emergency call.
The Mayor of Austin, Kirk Watson, commended the swift actions taken by law enforcement and emergency responders.
“They certainly preserved lives,” he remarked.
One of the individuals affected was discovered on the roadway nestled between two stationary vehicles. Within the multi-level bar, there were toppled tables and beverages abandoned by customers who had hurriedly exited.
Early Sunday morning, a shooting incident at a nightclub and concert venue in Cincinnati left nine individuals injured, according to Ohio police reports.
All nine individuals sustained gunshot injuries, yet none were deemed life-threatening, according to Adam Hennie, the interim police chief of the city.
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Diaz filed his report from Richmond, Virginia, while Seewer reported from Toledo, Ohio. ___ Diaz serves as a corps member for The Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service initiative that assigns journalists to local newsrooms to cover overlooked topics.
Jack Myer, Olivia Diaz, Alanna Durkin Richer, Eric Tucker, and John Seewer from The Associated Press
