Two killed in shooting in Austin, Texas; FBI probing possible terrorism

[Financial News]

In Austin, the capital of the State of Texas, a shooting in the early hours of the 1st (local time) left two people dead and 14 injured. The incident occurred a day after the United States began airstrikes on the Islamic Republic of Iran, prompting the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate whether it was an act of terrorism.
Speculation about terrorism has intensified after it emerged that the gunman was an immigrant wearing clothing bearing the flag of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
According to The Associated Press (AP) and other outlets, the shooting took place in Austin’s entertainment district, and the FBI has launched an investigation.
At around 2 a.m. that day, the suspect drove a sport utility vehicle (SUV) and stopped in front of a bar on Sixth Street, Austin’s main entertainment strip, then opened fire out of the window. Shots were fired at people standing in front of the bar and on its terrace.
He then parked the vehicle, got out with a rifle, and shot at nearby pedestrians as well. A police officer who happened to be patrolling the area arrived on the scene within a minute and fatally shot the gunman after a brief standoff.
The suspect was identified as a 53-year-old immigrant from the Republic of Senegal who entered the United States in 2006 and later became a citizen.
The suspect, named Ndiaga Diagne, was reportedly wearing a tracksuit top emblazoned with the words "Property of Allah" and a shirt featuring the Iranian flag when he opened fire.
SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors Islamist extremist organizations, stated that the suspect had previously expressed support for the Iranian regime on social media and voiced hatred toward the leadership of the United States and Israel. The group added that he had also posted a photo of himself holding what appeared to be an assault rifle.
Alex Doran, acting head of the FBI’s San Antonio field office, said, "It is still too early to draw conclusions," but added, "Based on what was found on the shooter and in the vehicle, we are investigating whether this was an act of terrorism."
Doran continued, "We cannot yet determine exactly what type of terrorism it might be," stressing, "At this stage, all we can say is that it may have been a terrorist act."
The shooting is also likely to bolster President Donald Trump’s hard-line immigration policies. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that Trump had been briefed on the incident.
Representative Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, posted a photo on the social media platform X of a man believed to be the shooter and argued, "Do not tell me how wonderful legal immigration is. It is literally killing us." The photo he shared shows a man of African descent wearing a hoodie reading "Property of Allah" and holding a rifle.
However, even though the FBI has begun its investigation with the possibility of terrorism in mind, officials have not ruled out the chance that this was an ordinary shooting unrelated to terrorism. Austin’s Sixth Street has seen at least two major shootings in the past five years; in 2021, 14 people were injured there.
Concerns about terrorist attacks by pro-Iran elements have grown, and the FBI appears to be examining that possibility.
Meanwhile, in the early hours of the same day, a separate shooting at a nightclub in Cincinnati, State of Ohio, left nine people injured.

dympna@fnnews.com Song Kyung-jae Reporter