The attacker who killed two people and wounded 18 others in a shooting early Sunday in Austin, the capital of the US state of Texas, had expressed “feelings in favor of the Iranian regime” on social media, a jihadism monitor reported on Sunday.
The shooting occurred outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden shortly before 2 a.m. along Sixth Street. The suspect, who was killed by officers responding to the shooting, had been hanging around the bar before he started shooting, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said at a news conference.
“He turned on the parking lights, rolled down the window and started shooting from the car with a gun, wounding several people who were in the bar’s patio,” Davis explained.
Then, the agent continued, he got out of the vehicle and continued shooting, until he was killed by the agents.
The at least 18 injured were taken to local hospitals and three of them are in critical condition, said authorities, who have not yet identified the victims.
American media have identified the perpetrator of the massacre as Ndiaga Diagne53, said a police source who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Fox News obtained a photo of Diagne showing him armed and wearing a sweater that says “Property of Allah.” He has not been identified by authorities, but several federal law enforcement sources informed FOX that he is a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen, born in Senegal and residing in Pflugerville, Texas. The man would have become naturalized during the administration of Barack Obama.
The SITE Intelligence Group organization identified the shooter, killed by the police, as Ndiaga Diagne, a US citizen of Senegalese origin.
Alleged Islamist
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson stated that three officers who were in the area intervened and shot the individual dead, according to what ABC reported.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis explained at a press conference that the initial call to 911 reported the shooting between men in Buford’s and that when the officers arrived they ran into the armed man whom they finally killed.
House Republican Chip Roy posted on
“The horrific shooting in Austin, perpetrated by a Alleged Islamist who arrived on a tourist visa and stayed for yearsis a heartbreaking reminder that failed policies have real consequences,” Roy said.
“This tragedy could have been avoided. Congress must pass Rep. Roy’s PAUSE Act and halt immigration until we can adequately secure our borders and protect American communities. We can no longer ignore the warning signs,” the lawmaker wrote.
SITE said Diagne had expressed “pro-Iranian regime sentiments and hatred toward Israeli and American leadership” on Facebook since 2017 and had posted a photo of himself holding what appears to be an assault rifle.
Nexus with terrorism
FBI Special Agent Alex Doran earlier told reporters that there were “indications in relation to the subject and in his vehicle that point to a possible nexus to terrorism.”
“Right now we are only in a position to say that this was potentially an act of terrorism,” Doran said.
The FBI’s Joint Counterterrorism Group is participating in the investigation along with local authorities.
The shooting took place amid increased security measures in many American cities following the start of a US-Israeli offensive against Iran, in which the country’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, was killed along with other top officials.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the Austin shooter was killed by officers who responded quickly to the shooting, which occurred around 2:00 a.m. in an Austin bar area.
The officers “found themselves confronted by an armed individual and three of our officers returned fire, killing the suspect,” Davis said.
The police chief indicated that the gunman first opened fire with a pistol from his car at customers at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden in downtown Austin.
He then parked the vehicle, got out with a rifle and began shooting at people passing by, Davis said.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he was beefing up security at energy facilities, ports and along the U.S.-Mexico border.
“To anyone who considers taking advantage of the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texans or our critical infrastructure, please understand clearly: Texas will respond with determined and overwhelming force to protect our state,” he said in a statement.
National alert
He FBI on Saturday he raised the level of terrorist alert in the United States after the start of the joint American and Israeli attack on Iran, announced the director of said agency, Kash Patel.
“I have instructed our counterterrorism and intelligence teams to be on high alert and mobilize all necessary security resources,” Patel detailed in a statement on the X social network.
Patel affirmed that the FBI is at the forefront of deterring attacks within the national territory and promised that it “works 24 hours a day to protect Americans.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem explained in X that she is in “direct coordination” with intelligence agencies and law enforcement to “closely monitor and thwart any potential threats against the homeland.”
The Secret Service, charged with protecting the president and other political leaders, also announced “increased security” in places under its jurisdiction.
Local police departments across the country, such as New York, activated precautionary protocols and reinforced the presence of patrols at places of worship and diplomatic headquarters.
The United States and Israel launched a large-scale attack against Iran this Saturday, which responded by launching missiles into Israeli territory and against US military bases in the region.
Global alert for Americans
The US government issued a “global alert” for its citizens abroad as a result of the attack launched this Saturday against Iran.
“Following the launch of US combat operations in Iran, Americans around the world and particularly in the Middle East should follow the advice of the latest security alerts issued by the nearest US embassy or consulate,” the State Department published.
Thus, it warns that “the closure of airspace could affect travel” and urges American citizens to “exercise greater caution.”
The Foreign Ministry also asked “American citizens around the world to exercise extreme caution.”
