Additional Coverage:
Austin Bar Shooting Suspect Linked to Potential Terrorism, Iranian Sympathies
Austin, TX – The individual identified as the gunman in Sunday morning’s tragic shooting outside a popular Austin bar reportedly had images of Iranian leaders and an Iranian flag within his residence, as investigators delve into evidence suggesting a “potential nexus to terrorism.”
Ndiaga Diagne, 53, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal, has been named as the suspect in the deadly incident that unfolded shortly before 2 a.m. outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden. Law enforcement sources have indicated that Diagne’s apartment contained images of Iranian leaders and an Iranian flag. The shooting resulted in the deaths of three individuals, including the suspect, and left 14 others injured.
Further details released by law enforcement sources reveal that Diagne was wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with “Property of Allah” and an undershirt featuring an Iranian flag during the attack. A Quran was also discovered in Diagne’s vehicle.
Authorities have identified two of the victims as Savitha Shan, 21, and Ryder Harrington, 19, during a press conference held on Monday.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis described the sequence of events, stating that Diagne “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.” Chief Davis added that the suspect then exited his vehicle and continued to shoot at individuals, though he did not enter the bar itself.
FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran addressed the ongoing investigation into the motive, noting, “Obviously, it’s still way too early in the process to determine an exact motivation. But there were indicators that on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism.”
James Gagliano, a retired FBI Supervisory Agent with experience in the agency’s counter-terrorism unit, commented that the shooting “seems to have all the earmarks of a terrorist attack.” He speculated, “Was this somebody who was an aspirant that saw somebody else do this and said, ‘I want to do the same thing?’
Or was this person directed? It clearly looks like a lone wolf type of thing, so it looks like an inspired or an aspirant, in my estimation.”
Diagne entered the United States in 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa and later became a lawful permanent resident after marrying a U.S. citizen. Records indicate he had prior arrests in New York City between 2001 and 2016, including one in 2001 for illegal vending. In 2016, Diagne was reportedly involved in a civil lawsuit after allegedly hitting a person with his car.
The Austin Police Department confirmed that Diagne legally acquired the firearm used in the attack while in San Antonio. He also faced charges in Texas in 2022 for collision with vehicle damage.