The fiend behind Sunday’s bloodbath at a packed Austin bar was an ex-New York City resident wearing a “Property of Allah’’ hoodie — and possibly out for vengeance over the US attack on Iran, law-enforcement sources told The Post.
Texas shooter Ndiaga Diagne, 53, had a Quran in his car and was possibly also wearing an undershirt featuring the Iranian flag or other Iranian symbols when he opened fire on Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden near the University of Texas-Austin campus, according to sources familiar with the investigation.
Diagne, a US citizen originally from Senegal, was naturalized in 2013 and applied for asylum in 2016, sources said.
The gunman had a history of arrests in New York City and Texas. He is believed to have lived in the Big Apple for years, arriving in 2000 and then racking up a string of arrests between 2001 to 2016, sources said.
He was arrested in 2001 for illegal vending. His other three city busts are sealed, sources said.
“Obviously it’s still way too early in the process to determine the exact motivation but there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism,” said Alex Doran, acting Special Agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio office, to reporters.
The attack happened about 2 a.m. — closing time for the popular nightspot — as hundreds of people were leaving to head home.
Diagne’s large SUV was spotted traveling around the block several times before he stopped in front of the bar and began shooting out of his front window with a pistol, hitting patrons on the front patio, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis.
He then parked his car, got out and began shooting at people walking by on the street.
Police confronted the shooter within less than a minute of the first gunshot at an intersection on 6th Street and shot him, cops said.
Two victims and the shooter died at the scene. First responders rushed 14 other patients to nearby hospitals, three of whom were in critical condition.
“Our hearts go out to the people that are victims of this and I want to reiterate my thanks to our public safety officers and officials that so rapidly were on the scene, they definitely saved lives.
