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A gunman unleashed chaos in a city center bar shortly after midnight on Sunday, resulting in the death of two individuals and leaving three others critically injured.
According to law enforcement officials, the shooter was wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with the phrase “Property of Allah” and a shirt featuring an Iranian flag. The gunman was ultimately killed by police.
The assailant has been identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne. This information was confirmed by a law enforcement official and another source familiar with the investigation, speaking to the Associated Press and CNN on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the ongoing investigation.
During a press briefing, Alex Doran, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI San Antonio Division, stated, “It’s still too early to determine an exact motive, but there are indicators relating to the subject and his vehicle that suggest a potential link to terrorism.”
Diagne was originally from Senegal, as reported by several sources who have been briefed on the case.
It’s not clear when the suspect arrived Texas, but he did have multiple addresses in the state, the official added.
CNN has reached out to the Austin Police Department and FBI San Antonio for more information on the suspect.
There have been at least 56 mass shootings in the US so far this year – defined as when at least four people are shot, not including the shooter – according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Authorities received a call about a man shooting from a large SUV, outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden at West Sixth and Rio Grande streets, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. The SUV had been spotted circling the block before the shooting, she said.
“At one point, he 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,” Davis said.
The suspect then drove westbound on Sixth Street, parked his vehicle and got out on foot with a rifle, Davis said. He then began shooting at people walking by, she said.
Because police and emergency medical teams are predeployed downtown on weekends, authorities reached the suspect in less than a minute, Davis said.
“Our suspect was coming toward East Austin or East Sixth Street, officers were coming toward him, and at the intersection, he was shot and he was killed at this time,” Davis said.
Davis previously told reporters three officers “returned fire” when they encountered the suspect.
The bomb squad was called in after investigators saw items inside the suspect’s vehicle that raised concerns, Davis said, but the vehicle was “cleared pretty quickly,” and it was determined there were no explosives.
“This is a tragic, tragic incident,” Davis said. “Our federal partners are here, as well as others, and this will be a scene that will take several hours to process.”
The FBI San Antonio Division, which covers the Austin area, confirmed the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force has joined the investigation based on evidence found at the scene.
Paramedics embedded in the entertainment district with the Austin Police Department on weekends quickly responded, according to Robert Luckritz, Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services chief.
“We had more than 20 EMS resources that responded to the scene. We had all critical patients off the scene within 24 minutes, and all patients off the scene within 47 minutes,” Luckritz said.
“Our hearts go out to the people that are victims of this. And I want to again reiterate my thanks to our public safety officers and officials that so rapidly were on the scene,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said at the news conference. “They definitely saved lives.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott condemned the attack and said he ordered the Department of Public Safety to increase patrols and law enforcement personnel in the Sixth Street area on weekends.
“This act of violence will not define us, nor will it shake the resolve of Texans,” he said in a statement.
Reported with Associated Press and CNN