The suspect who opened fire in a packed Austin bar was possibly motivated by the US attacks on Iran, The New York Post reported on Sunday, citing sources. At least 14 people were wounded in the attack, and two died. The FBI is reportedly looking at the incident at Buford’s on 6th Street as a terrorist act.
The shooting came hours after the US and Israel announced that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had died in strikes in Tehran.
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First info on suspect
The suspect, who has not been identified yet, drove past the bar several times before stopping and shooting a pistol out the window of his SUV at people on a patio and in front of the bar, said Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. He parked his vehicle, took out the rifle and shot people walking in the area. Officers shot him.
“At one point, he put his flashers on, rolled down his window, and began using a pistol, shooting out of his car windows, striking patrons of the bar that were on the patio and that were in front of the bar,” Davis said.
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The FBI is investigating whether the shooting was an act of terrorism because of “indicators” found on the gunman and in his vehicle, said Alex Doran, the acting agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio office.
“It’s still too early to make a determination on that,” Doran said.
The shooter was a US citizen from Senegal.
Bombshell evidence found
Sources told The New York Post that the suspect had a Quran in his car and clothing described as Islamic garb when he opened fire. The gunman had a history of arrests and is believed to have lived in New York City from 2000 to 2008.
Another shooting early Sunday at a Cincinnati nightclub and concert venue wounded nine people, police in Ohio said.
All nine had gunshot wounds, but none were non-life threatening, said Adam Hennie, the city’s interim police chief.