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X posts
X posts
stated on March 1, 2026 in an X post:

“Israeli shooter opened fire inside an Austin (Texas) bar” on March 1, 2026.

False
By Maria Briceño
March 2, 2026

There’s no evidence the Austin, Texas, mass shooting suspect is ‘Israeli’

If your time is short

  • The Austin, Texas, police department identified the shooting suspect as Ndiaga Diagne, 53.

  • Multiple news outlets reported that Diagne is from Senegal, citing unnamed U.S. officials.

See the sources for this fact-check

A gunman killed two people and wounded 14 others during a March 1 attack on an Austin, Texas, bar, and officials are exploring whether the shooting could be connected to U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.

As investigators sought information about the shooter’s motive, an X post with more than 662,000 views shared footage of the attack and an unfounded theory about his background. 

“BREAKING: Israeli shooter opened fire inside an Austin bar,” the March 1 X post said, adding disparaging comments about Jewish people.

This claim conflicts with early reporting about the suspect. No credible evidence of an Israel connection has emerged as of early evening March 2.

Austin police identified the suspect, who was killed by police, as Ndiaga Diagne, 53. 

PolitiFact asked multiple agencies — the Department of Homeland Security, the Austin Police Department and the FBI — about the suspect’s country of origin, but received no replies. Diagne was a native of Senegal, according to multiple news outlets that quoted unnamed U.S. officials.

Diagne entered the U.S. on March 13, 2000, on a B-2 tourist visa, a DHS spokesperson said. In June 2006, he became a lawful permanent resident based on marriage to a U.S. citizen. He became a naturalized U.S. citizen on April 5, 2013. 

DHS said Diagne was arrested in Texas in 2022 for a collision with vehicle damage, without specifying the arrest’s location. PolitiFact searched Texas’ public database for Diagne’s possible convictions, but found none. 

The FBI is investigating whether the shooting was a terrorist attack. Photos obtained by news outlets showed the suspect wearing a hoodie that said “Property of Allah” over a bloody shirt with a design of the Iranian flag. 

The investigation is ongoing.

Based on currently available information, we rate the X post’s claim that the shooter was Israeli False.

Our Sources

X post, March 1, 2026

Facebook, Austin Police Department press conference, March 1, 2026

PBS.org, What to know about the joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, March 2, 2026

Austin Police Department’s X post, March 1, 2026 

CNN, Austin mass shooting may have been motivated by Iran strikes, officials say. Here’s what we know, March 2, 2026

PBS, Suspect in Texas bar shooting wore 'Property of Allah' clothing and Iranian flag emblem according to AP source, March 1, 2026

CBS News, Texas gunman wore "Property of Allah" hoodie and Iran flag T-shirt during attack, had photos of Iranian leaders at home, sources say, March 2, 2026 

Fox News, Deadly Austin shooting that killed 3 may be 'act of terrorism,' FBI says, March 1, 2026

CBS News, Photo shows slain Texas gunman with Iranian symbol on his T-shirt, March 2, 2026 

Email exchange with Austin Police Department public information specialist, Clara Ash, March 2, 2026

Email exchange with a DHS spokesperson, March 2, 2026

Email exchange with a spokesperson from the FBI National Press Office, March 2, 2026

Fox 7 Austin, Austin mass shooting press conference, March 2, 2026

Texas Department of Public Safety, Criminal History Conviction Name Search, March 2, 2026

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