Camilla Jessen
A late-night shooting in downtown Austin has left multiple people dead and more than a dozen injured.
Three people have died and 14 others were wounded in a shooting outside a bar in Austin, Texas, early Sunday morning.
The FBI is investigating the attack as a possible act of terrorism.
The suspect was killed in a shootout with police at the scene. Authorities have not released his name and have not confirmed a specific motive.
FBI agent Alex Doran told reporters that there are “indications on the suspect and in his vehicle that indicate a possible connection to terrorism.”
He said the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is working closely with the Austin Police Department. Teams from the agency’s evidence collection and digital forensics units are also involved in the investigation.
Shooting outside downtown bar
The attack took place outside Buford’s, a roadhouse style bar in downtown Austin known for its location near several food trucks, according to local media reports.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that Police Chief Lisa Davis said the gunman drove a large SUV around the bar several times before stopping.
He then turned on his hazard lights, rolled down his window and began shooting at people in the courtyard area and in front of the venue.
Fourteen people were taken to hospital, with three reported to be in critical condition.
Part of a wider pattern
The incident marked the 56th fatal shooting in the United States this year.
Data from the Gun Violence Archive shows that the US recorded 407 mass shootings last year.
The organization defines a mass shooting as an incident in which at least four people, not including the attacker, are injured or killed by gunfire.
The investigation in Austin remains ongoing as authorities work to determine whether the shooting was linked to extremist motives or other factors.
Sources: FBI, Austin Police Department, Austin American-Statesman, Gun Violence Archive, BBC
