The mass shooter at a downtown Austin bar was wearing an undershirt emblazoned with Iranian-themed imagery, the city’s police department confirmed to The Epoch Times Monday.
Three people were killed, and more than a dozen others were injured, authorities said. The shooter, 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Senegal, was killed by police. According to authorities, he was wearing a sweatshirt with the words “Property of Allah” over his undershirt.
The shooter had a history of mental health issues.
When asked about his undershirt, the Austin Police Department told The Epoch Times via email it “appears [to be the] Iranian flag.”
“We see those indicators—the second shirt with the Iran [flag], the picture of the Shah on that T-shirt as well,” Austin Police Department Chief Lisa Davis said in a Monday briefing. “We’re thinking about events and what’s occurring in the country.”
Federal authorities were contacted after the shooting to “address concerns of potential terrorism,” Davis added.
Savitha Shan, 21, Ryder Harrington, 19, and Jorge Pederson, 30, were identified as the deceased victims. The remaining injured individuals have not been identified, but the University of Texas (UT) president released a letter Monday saying that many of the victims, including Shan, belonged to the Longhorn family.
“A child of loving parents. A loyal friend to many. A Longhorn preparing to change the world,” UT President Jim Davis said in his letter. “I have met with many of these families and will continue to pray for them.”
Davis added there will be increased police patrols across the college’s campuses.
Of the 14 injured, three were in critical condition, Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said in a briefing early Sunday morning. As of Monday evening, it was unclear what condition those three victims were in.
The FBI also affirmed its terrorism task force is investigating the shooting as a possible act of terrorism in light of the ongoing U.S. military operations against Iran, dubbed Operation Epic Fury.
Six American service members have died in the conflict.
As operations continue in the Middle East, the investigation into the mass shooting continues in Texas.
“This is a complicated and large crime scene,” Davis said, referring to more than 150 witnesses from whom officials are gathering information. “Our priority is finding answers and the motives behind this crime.”
In the early morning hours of Sunday, crowds packed the bars of the downtown Austin area. Around closing time, the shooter opened fire, authorities said. Police surged to the area and were met by the suspect wielding a gun. Three officers returned fire, killing the suspect, the Austin police chief said.
Davis told reporters in briefings that body-worn camera footage from police officers involved may be released later this week.
Within 57 seconds of the shooting, paramedics were on the scene treating victims, the Austin-Travis County EMS Chief said.
The mayor of the city said federal and local authorities will continue investigating together.
“While this is a dark moment, our people are creating a lot of light in Austin, Texas,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said in Monday’s briefing.
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