A night of live music and revelry on Austin’s famous 6th Street entertainment district turned to chaos in the early hours of Sunday, when a gunman opened fire on bar patrons in what investigators are now treating as a potential act of terrorism.
What Happened
Just before 2 a.m., Austin police received calls reporting a man shooting from a large SUV outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden at the corner of West 6th and Rio Grande streets — a stretch of nightlife venues and music clubs just a short drive from the University of Texas campus.
STATEMENT FROM BUFORD’S
According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the suspect’s vehicle had been spotted circling the block multiple times before he stopped, turned on his hazard lights, rolled down his window, and opened fire with a pistol on patrons seated on the bar’s patio and standing out front.
The gunman then drove a short distance away, parked on nearby Wood Street, got out of his vehicle, and continued shooting with a rifle as he walked east on West 6th Street before being confronted and fatally shot by responding officers.
First responders arrived on scene within an astonishing 57 seconds of the initial 911 call — a testament to the standing protocol of having Austin-Travis County EMS personnel embedded with police during peak entertainment hours. All critical patients were transported off scene within 24 minutes.
The final toll: two people killed, fourteen others hospitalized — three of them in critical condition — with the suspect also dead. The University of Texas at Austin confirmed that some of those affected were students, with UT President Jim Davis saying the shooting impacted “members of our Longhorn family.”
1:00 P.M. UPDATE
One of the victims killed in Sunday’s attack has been identified by friends and school officials as Texas Tech student Ryder Harrington.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows:
Around 10:15 tonight, a group of young adults held a vigil/prayer outside Buford’s. People hung string lights in the shape of a cross in front of the bar.@cbsaustin pic.twitter.com/sgZzbt3LOh
— Vinny Martorano (@VinnyMartorano) March 2, 2026
Who Was the Suspect?
By Sunday evening, authorities identified the shooter as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Diagne first entered the United States in 2000 on a tourist visa, obtained a green card in 2006 after marrying a U.S. citizen, and became a naturalized citizen in 2013. He had previously spent time in New York before relocating to Texas.
Posts from Diagne’s X account:
The details that emerged about Diagne quickly drew national attention. Law enforcement sources told CNN and CBS News that he was wearing a hoodie reading “Property of Allah” and a shirt bearing an Iranian flag design at the time of the shooting. Investigators also found photos of Iranian leaders in his home and a Quran in his vehicle — evidence that, combined with the timing of the attack, immediately raised alarm bells.
The shooting occurred just one day after the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran, during which Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed.
A Potential Terrorism Investigation
FBI Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran told reporters Sunday morning that there were “indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism,” while cautioning that it was too early to draw any firm conclusions.
Law enforcement officials, including local police and FBI agents, were at the scene of a residence in Pflugerville tied to the suspect.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has since taken a lead role in the investigation alongside Austin police. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence confirmed that its National Counterterrorism Center is working around the clock with federal and local partners to probe any possible ties to foreign terrorism.
Law enforcement sources also noted that Diagne had a prior history of mental health episodes in Austin, and investigators are weighing whether he may have self-radicalized. A bomb squad was called to examine items found inside his vehicle, though the car was cleared quickly with no explosives found.
PODCAST
Reactions from Texas Officials
Texas Governor Greg Abbott moved quickly to respond, activating service members under “Operation Fury Shield” and directing the Texas Military Department, the Department of Public Safety, and the Texas National Guard to increase patrols and surveillance statewide. He also ordered additional law enforcement personnel deployed along the Sixth Street corridor on weekends.
“This act of violence will not define us, nor will it shake the resolve of Texans,” Abbott said in a statement. He warned explicitly that Texas would “respond with decisive and overwhelming force” against anyone seeking to exploit the conflict in the Middle East to threaten the state.
In a statement posted on X, eight Texas state Democrats, including James Talarico, said, “Gun violence continues to steal the lives of far too many Texans. Our hearts are with the victims of today’s shooting and their families. We will never stop fighting for them.”
Talarico also pushed back on Gov. Abbott’s immigration-focused response, saying “dangerous people should not be allowed into the country. Dangerous people should not be allowed to get guns. Texans understand this — you apparently don’t.”
The problem here, James, is not the gun show loophole.
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) March 1, 2026
It's the unvetted immigrant loophole.
Allowing unvetted immigrants who are hostile to America, who are loyal to our adversaries like Iran, must end.
This was an act of terror, James.
The way to end it is to end the… https://t.co/lRyt3OK5Hv
Austin Police Association President Michael Bullock criticized Talarico on X for politicizing the incident.
U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, after speaking with FBI and APD officials, said he had learned “very troubling facts” about the suspect and echoed concerns about a potential terrorism nexus.
Austin City Council Member Zo Qadri, who represents the downtown area, described the news as “a gut-punch.”
Democratic state lawmakers in the Austin delegation focused heavily on gun violence, with State Rep. John Bucy calling it “another gut-wrenching act of gun violence” and State Senators Sarah Eckhardt and Judith Zaffirini calling for action on “deadly weapons being so common and accessible.”
National Response
President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirming the news and extending condolences to the victims’ families. The FBI issued a public statement confirming its involvement and urging anyone with information to come forward via tips.fbi.gov.
Democratic leaders across the country framed the tragedy through the lens of America’s ongoing gun violence epidemic. U.S. Rep. Greg Casar called the loss of life “preventable” and vowed to redouble his efforts in Congress.
Former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, whose namesake organization focuses on gun violence prevention, issued a statement saying that “safety is not a privilege — it is a right.”
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised first responders, saying their rapid reaction saved lives: “There is no question in my mind that the quick response of our police officers and EMS personnel made a difference.”
The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the attack while urging against blaming an entire community for one individual’s actions.
MORE REACTION:
Mack Mackowiak is a longtime Austin political consultant and GOP operative. He is the chair of the Travis County Republican Party
Authorities say 6th Street, from North Lamar to Guadalupe Street has reopened.
As Austin mourns, investigators continue to piece together the full picture of what motivated Ndiaga Diagne. Whether Sunday’s bloodshed ultimately meets the legal threshold for terrorism remains to be determined — but the questions it has raised, about radicalization, gun access, and the fragility of public safety, are already reverberating far beyond 6th Street.
A man is in custody following a SWAT standoff at an apartment complex near the West University area on Sunday afternoon.
In anticipation of a tight budget year, Travis County is asking all department heads to find ways to cut spending by 5%. Those suggestions are due to budget office staff on April 1. (KUT 90.5)
According to new data, more homes in Central Austin sold in January 2026 compared to January 2025. (Community Impact)
Austin is on the hunt for a permanent director to oversee the city’s convention facilities. (Austin Business Journal)
WEATHER
SUNDAY’S HIGH / LOW TEMPERATURES
We came close to setting a record for high temperature for March 1.
ABIA’s high of 86 was one degree shy of the record. Camp Mabry’s recording of 86 was two degrees short of the same record,
CAMP MABRY
5-DAY FORECAST / AUSTIN, TEXAS
Texas skywatchers will have a chance early Tuesday to see the moon transform into a glowing “blood moon” during a total lunar eclipse. (Houston Chronicle)
After a final weekend of campaigning, Texas is poised to kick off the 2026 midterm cycle with a primary that feels less like a local affair and more like a referendum on the future of both major parties. Tomorrow, nearly 19 million registered voters have the chance to shape a ballot that will eventually determine the balance of power in Washington.
The Final Push: A Weekend of Contrast
The final 48 hours saw candidates crisscrossing the Lone Star State, making high-stakes appeals to their respective bases.
- In the GOP camp: The battle for the U.S. Senate has reached a fever pitch. Incumbent John Cornyn, fighting to avoid becoming the first Texas Republican senator to lose a primary in over 50 years, spent the weekend emphasizing his deep ties to the state. Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt have leaned into “outsider” rhetoric, banking on a surge from the party’s more populist wing.
- On the Democratic side: The energy was palpable as Jasmine Crockett and James Talarico vied for the chance to break the GOP’s 30-year grip on Texas statewide offices. Crockett, a vocal federal antagonist for the current administration, campaigned alongside national figures like Senator Ayanna Pressley, while Talarico targeted crossover appeal with a “soft-spoken seminarian” approach in San Antonio’s historic districts.
Why the Nation is Watching
Texas is no longer just a “red state” backwater in the national imagination; it is the 2026 cycle’s first true “litmus test.”
- The GOP Soul Search: The Senate race is a direct clash between the “Traditional Republican” wing (Cornyn) and the “Hardline Conservative” faction (Paxton/Hunt). The results will signal how much influence the MAGA movement maintains over the Texas electorate.
- The Democratic “Offense”: With a thin Republican majority in the U.S. Senate, Democrats view Texas as one of their few offensive opportunities. The national party is watching to see if a fiery progressive (Crockett) or a moderate bridge-builder (Talarico) is the more viable path to flipping the seat.
- Statewide Dominance: Beyond the Senate, races for Governor and Attorney General (with Chip Roy and Nathan Johnson leading their respective fields) will decide who manages the country’s second-largest economy and its most active legal challenger to federal policy.
What to Expect Tomorrow
Because Texas requires a majority (50% + 1) to win, several of these high-profile races are expected to head to a May 26 runoff. With polling in the Republican Senate primary showing a tight three-way split, an outright winner tomorrow night would be a major upset.
As voters head to the polls, the question isn’t just who wins, but what kind of Texas will emerge to represent the state on the national stage this November.
New polling is giving us a snapshot of where the race for U.S. Senate stands. We look at the data and also what the numbers show about how Texans view Donald Trump. Texas Politics Project pollster James Henson joins us to break down the numbers.
Early voting in Texas surpassed turnout totals from recent primary elections. Dylan McKim look closer at new efforts to increase turnout and what it could mean for both parties in this crucial election year.
(Episode from March 1, 2026)
Primary season is here, and even though President Donald Trump isn’t on the ballot, his influence is shaping races across the country. Republican candidates are aligning with him — or testing his grip on the party — while Democrats face their own internal debates over identity, strategy and the path forward. What will the primaries reveal about both parties? And how will the results could shape the fight for control of Congress in 2026?
Bipartisan opposition to the Trump administration’s plans to construct a border wall through the Big Bend National Park in West Texas is growing, and the concerns are coming from business owners, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts; local residents and both Republican and Democrat elected officials. (My San Antonio)
Texas’ school choice rollout draws over 130,000 student applications, with eligible families qualifying for $10K-$30K as private schools register statewide
Firefighters in Longview rescued two people that got trapped in a hot air balloon Saturday after it got stuck on a cell phone tower. (FOX 7 Austin)
The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said an elderly couple lost roughly $25,000 in a Bitcoin scam where scammers promised to get their son out of jail.
The 2026 Houston Rodeo begins today.
SPORTS
COLLEGE BASEBALL: The third-ranked Texas Longhorns used a seven-run third inning to cruise to a 10-3 victory over Ohio State at Daikin Park in Houston on Sunday afternoon.
Texas (11-0) and UTSA were the lone two programs in the six-team field to win all three of its games in the BRUCE BOLT College Classic, but the Longhorns posted a tournament-best plus-17 run differential to earn the crown.
ON THE SCHEDULE
TUESDAY, MARCH 3
First pitch at 6:30 p.m.
NBA: It had to happen sooner or later.
Mikal Bridges had 25 points, Jalen Brunson scored 24 and the New York Knicks snapped the San Antonio Spurs’ 11-game winning streak with a 114-89 victory on Sunday. After going unbeaten in February, the Spurs were shut down to open March, never recovering from the Knicks’ 26-2 run in the first half and losing for the first time since Jan. 31 in Charlotte. (Associated Press)
The Dallas Mavericks continued to rack up losses Sunday.
ON THE SCHEDULE
San Antonio and Dallas have tonight off. The Houston Rockets are in Washington, DC.
NHL: Coming off a victory against Nashville on Saturday, the Dallas Stars look to continue their winning ways tonight in Vancouver.
MLS: Austin FC defeated D.C. United 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at Q2 Stadium, courtesy of a late goal by Christian Ramirez. Ramirez, whom the Club acquired on Friday, scored just 14 minutes into his ATXFC debut and became the second player in team history to score on their debut. (Austin FC)
ON THE SCHEDULE
SATURDAY, MARCH 7
As mentioned earlier, the 2026 Houston Livestock & Rodeo begins today. Here’s an overview of the origins of one of the Bayou City’s biggest attractions each year.
