(Houston) At least two people were killed and 14 injured by a shooter during an attack Saturday night at a bar in Austin, Texas, which could be an “act of terrorism”, according to the FBI.
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“It is still far too early in the investigation to determine a precise motivation, but there were elements on the suspect and in his vehicle which indicate a potential link with terrorism,” said Alex Doran, an official at the FBI office in San Antonio, at a press conference, who did not give details on the nature of these elements.
The suspect, whose identity was not specified, was shot and killed on the spot by police, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said.
Asked whether it was an act of domestic or international terrorism, the day after the Israeli-American strikes on Iran, which responded, the FBI agent refused to answer.
Occurring on the night of Saturday to Sunday near a bar in a busy area of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas, the attack left at least two dead and 14 injured.
The injured were taken to hospital.
Three of them were still in critical condition as of Sunday morning, authorities said.
“Maximum alert”
Austin police received a call reporting shots fired around Buford’s, a bar on a busy thoroughfare in the city, Lisa Davis said.
Quickly on scene, the police “were confronted by the armed individual and three of our officers returned fire, killing the suspect,” she said.
She indicated that the assailant, who was traveling in an SUV, had first opened fire against customers of the establishment through the window of his vehicle.
He then stopped, got out, and began shooting at passers-by in the street before being shot dead by the police.
“There is no doubt in my mind that the rapid response of the police and our emergency medical personnel (…) made the difference and saved lives,” greeted Austin Mayor Kirk Watson during the press conference.
Speaking of an event “which caused significant trauma to (his) city”, the councilor sent his “thoughts” to the victims and their families.
After the Israeli-American strikes against Iran, the head of the FBI, Kash Patel, announced on X that he had “asked our counter-terrorism and intelligence teams to be on maximum alert and to mobilize all necessary security resources”.
The Texas military authorities also announced that they would deploy troops to “protect (the) citizens and critical infrastructure against any threat of reprisals”.
