A mass shooting in Austin, Texas, early Sunday left three people dead and 14 others wounded, authorities said. Police identified the gunman as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal, who came to the U.S. in 2006, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
Officers shot and killed Diagne after he opened fire using both a pistol and a rifle outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on Sixth Street, a popular nightlife district near the University of Texas. Police said he drove past the bar multiple times, shooting from his SUV, before parking and continuing the attack on pedestrians in the area.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said officers confronted the suspect within a minute of the first 911 call, praising their rapid response. Mayor Kirk Watson added that police and emergency crews “definitely saved lives.”
The FBI is investigating the shooting as a potential act of terrorism, citing “indicators” found on Diagne and in his vehicle, though officials said it is too early to make a determination.
This marks the latest of multiple high-profile shootings in Austin’s Sixth Street district over the past five years. University of Texas President Jim Davis said some of those injured are members of the campus community.
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