An armed man opened fire early this Sunday next to the entrance of a popular bar in downtown Austin, the capital of Texas, leaving at least two people dead and 14 injured. The shooter was killed by police after shooting first from his vehicle and then on foot with a rifle. The FBI is investigating whether the attack has a “with terrorism”.
The shooting occurred around two in the morning at the Buford’s Backyard Beer, located at 700 West 6th Streeta busy area of ​​nightclubs and music clubs, close to the University of Texas.
Shooting from an SUV and then with a rifle
According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the suspect, 53 years old and of Senegalese origin, had been residing in the United States for more than 15 years. His identity has not been officially revealed.
The attacker drove his SUV several times in front of the bar before open fire with a gun from the window against the customers who were on the terrace and next to the windows of the premises.
“At one point, he turned on his flashing lights, rolled down his window and began using a gun, shooting out the windows of his car,” Davis explained.
After that first attack, he parked the vehicle, took out a rifle and began shooting at passers-by. while walking towards a nearby intersection, where he was shot dead by officers who had already cordoned off the area.
Austin Police confirmed on social media that three people died, including the suspect, and that 14 more were injured.
FBI investigates possible terrorist link
The Austin Police Department acted together with the FBI, which has deployed teams from the Joint Counter-Terrorism Task Force.
The acting agent in charge of the FBI office in San Antonio, Alex Doran, stated that there are indicators found on the suspect and in his vehicle that point to a possible link with terrorism. “It is too early to determine an exact motivationbut there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate a potential link to terrorism,” Doran said.
Investigators are also analyzing whether the attack could have been motivated by mental health problems.
A year marked by armed violence
have been registered at least 56 mass shootings in the USdefined as those in which at least four people are shot, not including the aggressor, according to data from Gun Violence Archive.
Austin is no stranger to these types of tragedies. There have been at least two high-profile shootings in the Sixth Street entertainment district in the past five years, including one in the summer of 2021 that left 14 people injured.
In 2026, five shootings have already been recorded in the Texas capital.
