53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne

AUSTIN — A mass shooting early Sunday morning outside a popular bar on West 6th Street in downtown Austin, Texas, claimed the lives of two civilians and wounded 14 others before police fatally shot the suspect, authorities confirmed.

The attack is now being investigated as a potential act of terrorism.

Law enforcement identified the suspected gunman as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal who lived in Pflugerville, Texas.

Diagne was reportedly wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with the phrase “Property of Allah” and an undershirt bearing an Iranian flag design at the time of the attack.

The shooting erupted shortly before 2:00 a.m. outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden, a well-known nightlife destination in the city’s Sixth Street entertainment district.

Officials said Diagne first fired from inside a large SUV at patrons on the patio and on the street, then exited the vehicle and continued shooting at bystanders with both a pistol and a rifle.

Responding Austin Police Department officers engaged the suspect and fatally shot him at an intersection near the scene.

Emergency responders were on site within minutes. Austin-Travis County Emergency Medical Services Chief Robert Luckritz said that paramedics received the initial emergency call at 1:59 a.m. and arrived within 57 seconds.

Of the 17 people treated at the scene, two victims were pronounced dead by first responders, and 14 others were transported to area hospitals with injuries. Three of the wounded were reported in critical condition.

Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims who died or the injured due to ongoing family notifications and hospital privacy protocols.

Federal authorities, including the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, are assisting local investigators in determining the motive behind the attack.

Acting FBI Special Agent in Charge Alex Dorn said indicators found on the suspect and in his vehicle may suggest a “potential nexus to terrorism,” and noted that the investigation remains in the early stages.

The mass shooting occurred one day after the United States and Israel initiated coordinated military strikes against Iran that resulted in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a development that has prompted heightened concern among U.S. security officials about possible retaliatory violence.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered increased patrols in downtown Austin and elsewhere across the state in response to the incident, emphasizing the need for heightened public safety measures while the investigation continues.

Local leaders, including Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, praised the rapid response of police and emergency personnel, saying their actions helped prevent further loss of life.

However, the attack has once again reignited debate over gun violence, community safety, and the potential impact of global geopolitical tensions on domestic security.

Officials have urged the public to avoid the Sixth Street area as forensic and evidence teams continue processing the crime scene.

More information is expected in the coming days as authorities piece together the circumstances that led to this tragic event.