An Islamic gunman is accused of killing three people, and injuring fourteen more, during an attack on Austin’s iconic Sixth Street nightlife district early Sunday morning.
The Austin Police Department responded to the attack and eliminated the shooter, Police Chief Lisa Davis told local media.
The shooter was identified as Ndiaga Diagne of Pflugerville. Diagne wore a sweatshirt that said “property of Allah” during the attack and is alleged to have had other materials linked to the Iranian regime in his possession.
The New York Post reported that Diagne, originally from Senegal, was a naturalized U.S. citizen who came to the United States during the Clinton administration. Diagne became a citizen during the Obama administration.
Diagne, a previous resident of the Bronx, had a series of arrests in New York and Texas. An Imam from Parkchester, New York stated on social media that Diagne, who he had previously known, became radicalized by pro-Palestinian activists
Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement pledging that “Texas will respond with decisive and overwhelming force to protect our state.”
He added that the Department of Public Safety would be increasing patrols.
Sunday morning’s attack follows Abbott’s November declaration of the Council on American-Islamic relations and the Muslim Brotherhood as “foreign terrorist organizations.”
Shortly thereafter, the Austin City Council passed a resolution honoring CAIR and naming January “Muslim Heritage Month.” The resolution was intended “to celebrate Muslim communities and promote greater public understanding of their contributions.”
Legislation that would have abolished the Austin City Council received a committee hearing from state lawmakers in 2025 and is expected to return in 2027.
