As a big SUV rolled previous a block of Austin’s full of life bars and late-night crowds in Sunday’s early hours, a sweatshirted arm reached out the driver’s facet window with a pistol and commenced to drag the set off.
Over the course of only one minute, the gunman sailed down the metropolis’s bustling Sixth Street after which exited his automotive, firing off much more bullets, ultimately killing three people and injuring 13 others earlier than he was fatally shot by police.
The suspect, 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, was sporting a hoodie emblazoned with the phrases “Property of Allah,” an image obtained by NCS exhibits. Law enforcement later discovered Diagne – who was fatally shot by police – was sporting a T-shirt stamped with an Iranian flag design, in response to a supply.
Though investigators have stored particulars near the vest, they’re probing whether or not the Texas capturing was impressed by this weekend’s strikes on Iran by the US and Israel, a number of legislation enforcement officers briefed on the case mentioned.
Diagne, a Senegalese immigrant-turned US citizen, was not on the radar of native police nor the FBI earlier than Sunday’s assault, officers mentioned at a Monday information convention. Now, his private life, felony historical past and personal affiliations are below excessive scrutiny as investigators dissect his motive.
Diagne made his option to the United States from his house nation of Senegal, initially settling in New York earlier than shifting to Texas, a legislation enforcement official accustomed to the investigation advised NCS.
Diagne entered the US on March 13, 2000, on a B‑2 vacationer visa, a Department of Homeland Security official advised NCS. These nonimmigrant visas are meant for guests touring to the US briefly, similar to for trip or visiting household.
Diagne married a US citizen, permitting him to regulate his standing to lawful everlasting resident in June 2006, the DHS official mentioned. He grew to become a naturalized citizen on April 5, 2013.
NCS has been unable to verify the identification of Diagne’s spouse or whether or not they’re nonetheless married.
Though it’s unclear when Diagne relocated to Texas, public information point out he was nonetheless a resident of Bronx, New York, in the late 2010s. Since shifting to the Lone Star State, he has had a number of addresses, the legislation enforcement official advised NCS.
Diagne’s motive remains to be unclear, however gadgets found throughout the investigation have led authorities to think about whether or not the assault was an act of home terrorism or motivated by the nascent US war with Iran, a number of legislation enforcement officers briefed on the case have mentioned.
“Obviously, it’s still way too early in the process to determine an exact motivation, but there were indicators on the subject and then his vehicle that indicate a potential nexus to terrorism,” Alex Doran, performing particular agent in command of the FBI’s San Antonio division, mentioned Sunday morning.
After police secured the sprawling, chaotic scene Sunday, federal companions had been referred to as to “address concerns of potential terrorism,” Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis mentioned.
A search warrant has been executed on at the very least one residence related to the suspect. A bevy of legislation enforcement, some from federal companies, gathered at a house related to Diagne in Pflugerville, a suburb simply north of Austin.
Investigators hauled packing containers of things from the house and examined a automotive in the driveway, NCS affiliate KEYE reported. A Quran was additionally present in the suspect’s automotive, in response to a legislation enforcement official accustomed to the investigation.
Authorities looking the house had been doubtless in search of computer systems and telephones to find out if the suspect learn any propaganda or left any writings indicating his plans, an official advised NCS.
They will even assessment whether or not Diagne had any psychological well being encounters whereas dwelling in Texas, a number of legislation enforcement officers have mentioned.
Diagne was not well-known to native or federal investigators earlier than Sunday’s assault, however public information present he has had minor interactions with police and the courts in New York and Texas.
Both weapons the suspect utilized in the capturing had been acquired legally in San Antonio in 2017, Davis mentioned.
In 2022, Diagne was arrested in Texas on a cost of collision with automobile injury, a misdemeanor offense, in response to the DHS official.
He was additionally sued in New York in May 2017 by a lady who claimed he hit her with a automotive whereas she was strolling. In an preliminary criticism, the girl claimed she sustained “serious injuries.”
It seems Diagne was driving a automobile leased by an organization that gives automobiles to cab drivers and different for-hire providers.
An orthopedic surgeon attested to the courtroom the girl was hospitalized after the incident and later underwent a spinal process. But the surgeon wrote in 2022 the girl’s accidents had “fully resolved,” courtroom paperwork present. It is unclear how the case was resolved.
As a part of their investigation into the officer-involved capturing that killed Diagne, police plan to launch physique digicam footage and extra particulars on Diagne’s felony historical past as quickly as Thursday, the chief mentioned.