In the United States, at least two people were killed and 14 others injured by a shooter on Saturday night at a bar in Austin, Texas. The presumed perpetrator had expressed “pro-Iranian regime opinions”, which was the target of a major military offensive, according to the SITE Intelligence Group, a jihadist group monitoring organization. His identity has not been confirmed by authorities, but he has been identified by this organization and several American media outlets as Ndiaga Diagne, an American citizen of Senegalese origin. He was shot on the spot by police.
A photo shared on social media by Texas Republican representative Chip Roy shows the suspect armed with a rifle and wearing a sweatshirt with the words “property of Allah.” According to the SITE Intelligence Group, Ndiaga Diagne had expressed “pro-Iranian regime opinions and hatred towards Israeli and American leaders” in Facebook posts shared between 2017 and 2019, and had posted a photo of himself holding what appears to be an assault rifle.
Occurrences in the early hours of Sunday morning outside a bar in a bustling area of downtown Austin, Texas, the attack resulted in at least two deaths and 14 injuries. Three of the injured
The Austin police received a call reporting shots fired at Buford’s, a bar located on a busy street in the city, said police chief Lisa Davis. Quickly on the scene, the officers “encountered the armed individual and three of our officers fought back, killing the suspect”. She stated that the assailant, who was driving an SUV, first opened fire on customers at the establishment through his vehicle’s window. He then stopped, got out, and began shooting on the street at passersby before being shot by the police.
“It is without a doubt in my mind that the quick reaction of the officers and our emergency medical personnel […] made a difference and saved lives,” praised Austin Mayor Kirk Watson. Referring to an event “that caused significant trauma to [his] city”, the mayor extended his “thoughts” to the victims and their families.
Context: Shooting incident in Austin, Texas with a suspected shooter identified as Ndiaga Diagne.
Fact Check: No confirmation on the motive behind the shooting.
The attack occurred shortly after the launch on Saturday of intense Israeli-American airstrikes against Iran, which included the killing of the country’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, sparking fears of retaliatory attacks in the United States. FBI Director Kash Patel announced that his counterterrorism and intelligence teams were placed on “high alert”.
The FBI noted that it might be “an act of terrorism,” but Alex Doran from the FBI’s San Antonio office emphasized the need for further investigation to determine the precise motivation behind the attack. The White House spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, confirmed that President Donald Trump was informed of the situation.
Context: Speculation of the attack being linked to retaliatory actions following intense airstrikes on Iran.
Fact Check: Motivation behind the attack still under investigation.
