Texas Bar Shooting Leaves 2 Dead, 14 Wounded; Fbi Investigates Possible Terrorism

AUSTIN, Texas — A gunman opened occurrence extracurricular a barroom successful a celebrated intermezo territory successful nan Texas superior of Austin, sidesplitting 2 group early Sunday successful a shooting that nan FBI said is being investigated arsenic a imaginable enactment of terrorism.

The shooting near 14 others wounded, included 3 who were critically injured earlier officers killed nan shooter, constabulary said.

The suspect, whose sanction was not instantly released, drove past nan barroom respective times earlier stopping and shooting a pistol retired nan model of his SUV astatine group connected a patio and successful beforehand of nan bar, said Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis.

The gunman past parked nan vehicle, sewage retired pinch a rifle, and began shooting astatine group stepping successful nan area earlier officers who ran to nan intersection changeable him, Davis said.

There person been astatine slightest 2 different high-profile shootings successful Austin’s Sixth Street intermezo territory wrong nan past 5 years, including 1 successful nan summertime of 2021 that near 14 group wounded. Although this weekend’s shooting doesn’t meet nan meaning of a wide killing, location person been 5 of those truthful acold this year.

The FBI is investigating whether nan shooting was enactment of coercion because of “indicators” recovered connected nan gunman and successful his vehicle, said Alex Doran, nan acting supplier successful complaint of nan FBI’s San Antonio office.

“It’s still excessively early to make a determination connected that,” Doran said.

The shooting happened extracurricular Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden conscionable earlier 2 a.m. on nan Sixth Street area, a nightlife destination filled pinch bars and euphony clubs and only a fewer miles from nan University of Texas.

The school’s president said connected societal media that immoderate of those affected included “members of our Longhorn family.”

“Our prayers are pinch nan victims and each those impacted,” said assemblage President Jim Davis.

The intermezo territory has a dense constabulary beingness connected weekends, and officers confronted nan gunman wrong a infinitesimal of nan first telephone for help, Davis said.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised nan accelerated consequence by constabulary and rescuers.

“They decidedly saved lives,” he said.

One of nan victims was recovered successful nan thoroughfare betwixt 2 parked cars. Inside nan multistory bar, location were overturned tables and drinks near down by fleeing customers.

Another shooting early Sunday astatine a Cincinnati nightclub and performance venue wounded 9 people, constabulary successful Ohio said.

All 9 had gunshot wounds, but nary were life-threatening, said Adam Hennie, nan city’s interim constabulary chief.