A gunman, who shot two people dead at a bar in Texas, could have been motivated by the United States’ military action against Iran, according to investigators.
Ndiaga Diagne, 53, opened fire at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden in Austin during the early hours of Sunday morning.
The 53-year-old, who was wearing a hoodie emblazoned with the words “Property of Allah,” was killed by officers at the scene.
The shooting unfolded a day after United States and Israel launched a military operation against Iran.
Hours after the first strikes occurred, it was confirmed that the Islamic Republic’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, had been killed.
Authorities have yet to reveal a motive for Diagne’s actions.
Sources told CBS News that the gunman’s home was raided by officials on Sunday, with investigators allegedly uncovering an Iranian flag and a series of images depicting Islamic Republic officials at the address.
A neighbor of the gunman, Todd Bruder, told The Austin American-Statesman that Diagne and his family were devout Muslims with their cars showing Allah decals. A woman who lived in the house wore a hijab when going out.
“I’m shocked that this happened here. The family was quiet and seemed nice. They seemed like a normal American family living in the suburbs,” he added.
The sources also claimed that a copy of the Quran was found in Diagne’s SUV, which he used to drive to Buford’s.
However, Alex Doran, the acting head of the FBI’s San Antonio field office, told reporters that the investigation into the shooting was still ongoing.
“Obviously, it’s still way too early in the process to determine the exact motivation,” he said. “But there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate a potential nexus to terrorism.”
Sources close to the investigation told The Washington Post that authorities do not believe that Diagne was working in coordination with groups linked to the Iranian regime.
Officials also told the newspaper that Diagne, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Senegal, was known to state authorities in relation to previous mental health episodes.
Sources at CBS News claimed that Diagne arrived in the United States in 2000. He acquired a green card in 2006 and was naturalized in 2013, spending time in New York before moving to Texas.
During a press conference, Lisa Davis, Austin’s chief of police, revealed that Diagne had driven past Buford’s several times on Sunday before he opened fire.
Davis said that the gunman fired a pistol out of his SUV’s window just before 2 am, hitting several patrons on the patio. After that, he parked his vehicle and emerged from the car with a rifle.
Then, he opened fire as bargoers tried to flee to safety. Davis said that Diagne was killed shortly after.
Diagne killed two people during the assault, injuring 14 others. Authorities have yet to identify the victims.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed on X that President Trump has been briefed on the shooting.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott released a statement shortly after the shooting.
“To anyone who thinks about using the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texans or our critical infrastructure, understand this clearly: Texas will respond with decisive and overwhelming force to protect our state,” Abbott wrote.
He also said that the Texas Department of Public Safety and the National Guard have been ordered to intensify patrols and surveillance in the state.
The Independent has contacted the Austin Police Department and the FBI for further comment.
