AUSTIN, Texas – Law enforcement is investigating a mass shooting in downtown Austin that killed four people, including a suspect, and hospitalized 13 others early Sunday morning.
Ndiaga Diagne, 53, has been identified as the shooter, the Department of Homeland Security said in a statement.
Here’s what we know about the shooting.
4 dead, 13 hospitalized
Three people were killed, and 13 others were hospitalized during the mass shooting early Sunday morning in front of Buford’s bar on West 6th Street.
Paramedics and police officers began treating patients just before 2 a.m., Austin EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said, less than a minute after the first call was made to 911.
Diagne allegedly repeatedly drove around the block multiple times in a large SUV, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said, before turning on his flashers, rolling down his window and firing from his vehicle using a pistol.
The SUV then proceeded westbound on 6th Street to Wood Street, where Diagne parked and exited the vehicle before opening fire on those walking by.
Officers who were already on 6th Street confronted Diagne, returning fire and killing him.
Sources told ABC News the suspect initially fired five to seven shots from a handgun into a crowd of people before police said he exited his vehicle and was confronted by Austin Police officers.
Austin police identify 3 victims
Two victims were identified during a Monday afternoon news conference as Savitha Shan, 21, and Ryder Harrington, 19, Police Chief Davis said.
Another person hospitalized in critical condition after the shooting is expected to be taken off life support on Monday, Davis said.
Austin police announced Monday night in a Facebook post that a third person died as a result of the shooting. He was identified as Jorge Pederson, 30.
Austin police did not clarify if Pederson was the person on life support.
Two others remain hospitalized with critical injuries, according to Davis.
Harrington was a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity at Texas Tech University, his fraternity said in an Instagram post.
Austin PD releases body-worn camera video, 911 audio from shooting
During a March 5 news conference, Davis shared video and two 911 calls to the public for the first time since the Sunday morning shooting.
Davis played video from a parked vehicle near the scene, which showed Diagne walking around a parking lot with an AR-15 in hand before he opened fire on a pedestrian.
The chief also played body-worn camera video from two APD officers — as well as surveillance video in downtown Austin — that showed the gunman’s confrontation with police.
“We didn’t do this for the shock value,” Davis said on March 5. “This is about being as transparent as we can.”
In the first placed call, the dispatcher was heard asking for the attention from the 911 caller’s end.
“Hello, this is Austin 911,” the dispatcher said. “Hello, this is Austin 911.”
The caller was first heard giving directions to others who attempted to flee the gunfire.
“There are people dead over here,” the caller later told the dispatcher. “There have been multiple people shot, and we need help right now.”
The second placed 911 call reported “gunfire” at Buford’s.
“I heard, like, six gunshots,” the second caller told the 911 dispatcher. “Everybody ducked down onto the floor. We’re just right outside. We’re hiding in between cars.”
The second 911 caller also reported hearing “three more” gunshots.
Motive remains under investigation, FBI says ‘terrorism’ possible
Diagne was not on the radar of authorities before the attack, federal and local investigators said Monday.
Diagne’s motive remains under investigation, but the FBI said it could be motivated by terrorism.
Davis said on March 5 that both agencies are still investigating whether the attack may have been an act of terrorism.
“There were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism,” said Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio field office. “Again, it’s still too early to make a determination on that.”
The downtown Austin shooting took place one day after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran.
The AP’s source said he was wearing clothing that said “property of Allah” and had an Iranian flag design.
ABC News’ sources said law enforcement is also investigating whether Diagne had mental health issues.
The shooting is considered an isolated incident, rather than part of a larger plot, the source told ABC.
President Donald Trump has been briefed regarding the shooting, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a social media post.
Weapons legally bought in San Antonio
Diagne legally bought the weapons used in the attack several years ago in San Antonio, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said during a Monday afternoon press conference.
Police Chief Davis said Diagne was living in Pflugerville prior to the shooting.
“Our ultimate goal in everything we do is to determine the motive,” Alex Doran, the acting agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio office, said during a news conference Monday.
Investigators are poring over thousands of hours of video and police said there are more than 150 witnesses to interview.
“We are still in the early hours of this investigation,” Davis said.
Diagne entered country on tourist visa, married US citizen, DHS Says
Diagne first entered the U.S in 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa and became a lawful permanent resident six years later after marrying a U.S. citizen, according to DHS. He was naturalized in 2013.
Diagne was originally from Senegal, multiple people briefed on the investigation told the AP, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the investigation.
A woman who identified herself as Diagne’s ex-wife told ABC News they moved to San Antonio together from New York in 2017.
Diagne’s ex-wife said they moved to Texas because they wanted more space for their family, including their two children.
She said they divorced in 2022 and that she has not spoken to Diagne in four or five years. The woman said she knew nothing about the shooting and was shocked to hear about it.
Diagne’s ex-wife confirmed he was religious, but did not elaborate.
Greg Abbott says state not shaken by attack, promises action against threats
Gov. Greg Abbott said the shooting would not “define (Texas), nor will it shake the resolve of Texans,” in a statement.
“To anyone who thinks about using the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texans or our critical infrastructure,” Abbott said, “understand this clearly: Texas will respond with decisive and overwhelming force to protect our state.”
Abbott said he directed the Texas Department of Public Safety to increase patrols in downtown Austin on Sunday, in addition to his directive from yesterday aiming to safeguard energy facilities, ports, and the southern border.
Republicans blame shooting on ‘radical’ Islamic beliefs, immigration system while Democrats advocate for gun control
Abbott issued a strong warning to anyone seeking to use the attack on Iran as an opportunity to threaten Texas.
“To anyone who thinks about using the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texans or our critical infrastructure,” Abbott said, “understand this clearly: Texas will respond with decisive and overwhelming force to protect our state.”
Although a motive has not yet been identified in the shooting, U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, said in his statement about the shooting that “radical” Islam had no place in Texas.
“To those who wish to harm Americans or commit acts of terrorism in the name of Islam,” Cornyn said, “you and your beliefs are not welcome here, and we will use every tool in our arsenal to ensure justice is swiftly served.”
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Austin, issued a series of social media posts on Sunday, arguing that the country’s immigration pathways are broken and are to blame for the shooting.
“STOP TALKING ABOUT HOW GREAT ‘LEGAL’ IMMIGRATION IS,” Roy said in a post. “IT’S KILLING US. LITERALLY.”
Roy later asked fellow congressmen to pass House Resolution 6225, which he introduced last November.
Also known as the PAUSE Act, H.R. 6225 would severely limit the ability for any visa to be issued until immigration laws reflect certain provisions listed in the resolution.
On the opposite side of the aisle, San Antonio Mayor Gina Ortiz Jones and U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, argued guns are to blame.
“We must prevent such tragedies from happening through commonsense gun solutions,” Jones said.
“Until Republicans find the courage to say no to the NRA,” Doggett said, “our country will be plagued with more tragedies.”
Journalists with ABC News and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story is developing. Check back later for updates.
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