At least three people died and 18 others were injured in a shooting that occurred in the early hours of this Sunday (1st) at a bar in the city of Austin, Texas. The case is being investigated as a possible terrorist act, according to local authorities, according to information from EFE Agency.
The attack took place around 2 am (local time), in a busy bar area frequented by university students. According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the suspect was killed by officers who responded to the incident.
According to the police officer, the man was walking down the street before he started shooting. He allegedly stopped the car, turned on the position lights, rolled down the window and started shooting from inside the vehicle with a pistol at people who were on the bar’s patio. He then got out of the car and continued shooting until he was shot by the police.
The 18 injured were taken to area hospitals. Three of them remain in critical condition. So far, authorities have not released the identity of the suspect or victims.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) works with local police in the investigation. According to special agent Alex Doran, “indications” were found in the shooter’s car that point to “possible terrorist links.”
According to information from NBC, it is still unclear whether the attack was motivated by extremism or whether it involved issues related to mental health. The suspect would be an American citizen of Senegalese origin who had lived in the United States for more than 15 years.
Authorities speak out
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said in a statement that the state is in mourning and that he is in contact with Austin City Hall and the Department of Public Safety to ensure full support for the investigations.
“Anyone considering leveraging the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texas or our critical infrastructure must understand: Texas will respond with decisive force to protect our state,” he declared.
The mayor of Austin, Kirk Watson, classified the episode as an “extremely difficult and traumatic” moment for the city and highlighted the speed of the emergency teams’ response. According to him, 57 seconds after the first calls, medical service professionals were already on site providing care.
Investigations are ongoing to clarify the motivation for the attack.
