AUSTIN (Talk1370.com) -- A mass shooting outside a downtown Austin bar early Sunday morning left three people dead, including the suspected gunman, and 14 others injured, with federal officials joining the investigation with evidence pointing to a "potential nexus to terrorism."
The incident occurred outside Buford’s at the corner of West Sixth Street and Rio Grande. Those first emergency calls were reported at 1:59 a.m., prompting a rapid response from law enforcement already stationed near the city’s busy entertainment district.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis stated that responding officers immediately confronted the active shooter. “Three of our officers returned fire, killing the suspect,” Davis said during a Sunday morning news conference.
The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has joined the Austin Police Department in the investigation based on preliminary evidence found at the scene. Davis said the shooter used a pistol and an assault rifle.
Alex Doran, the FBI's acting special agent in charge, said that while it’s “way too early to determine motivation,” evidence found on the shooter and in his vehicle indicate a “potential nexus to terrorism.”
That suspect has not yet been identified, but was described as a man.
Davis said a large SUV was seen driving around the area several times before the suspect opened fire, firing a handgun from the SUV and shooting people on the patio and in front of Buford's.
The suspect then parked that vehicle on Wood Street, got out, and shot his gun at people walking by, before officers killed the suspect.
Police are actively processing an expansive crime scene, securing security footage, and interviewing patrons and witnesses from the area.
Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Rob Luckritz confirmed that of the 14 individuals transported to local hospitals, three remain in critical condition.
Local leaders commended the swift actions of emergency personnel. Mayor Kirk Watson praised the first responders, saying, “I don’t think there’s any question: It saved lives.”
Anyone searching for family members or friends in connection with the shooting is urged to call the Austin Police Department’s Victim Services Unit at 512-974-5037.