FBI: Austin Shooter Acted Alone, Iran Grievances Motive

A 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Senegal opened fire at Buford's Backyard Beer Garden in downtown Austin, Texas, just before 2 a.m. on March 1, killing three people and wounding 15 others before police killed him in an exchange of gunfire.

The FBI released an update Thursday on its investigation into Ndiaga Diagne, confirming he acted alone with no ties to a foreign terrorist organization or evidence of receiving direction, funding or operational support. Diagne, who had never been previously investigated by the bureau, wore a T-shirt featuring an Iranian flag design and a sweatshirt reading "Property of Allah" during the attack. Investigators determined he admired Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the recently deceased Iranian leader killed in a U.S. and Israeli airstrike on February 28.

According to the FBI, Diagne's grievances over U.S. and Israeli military actions involving Iran contributed to an escalation in his violent behavior, though the agency has not found conclusive evidence explaining his full motivation or why he targeted the bar in Austin's popular Sixth Street nightlife district. The shooting occurred one day after the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran.