The 6th Street shooting in Austin is being investigated by the FBI as a potential act of terrorism after a gunman opened fire in the heart of the city’s nightlife district early Sunday, killing three people and injuring 14 others.

Authorities cautioned that the motive remains unclear, even as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott referenced rising tensions in the Middle East in a forceful public statement Monday.

Governor Draws Link as FBI Urges Patience

“To anyone who thinks about using the current conflict in the Middle East to threaten Texans or our critical infrastructure, understand this clearly: Texas will respond with decisive and overwhelming force to protect our state,” Abbott said.

The FBI declined to specify whether it is treating the attack as domestic or foreign terrorism.

“It’s still way too early in the process to determine an exact motivation,” said Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio field office.

Doran said investigators discovered “indicators” on the suspect and inside his vehicle that suggest a “potential nexus to terrorism,” but he refused to elaborate.

No explosives were located inside the suspect’s van, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed.

A Night of Chaos on West Sixth Street

The violence unfolded around 1:58 a.m., when the first 911 call came in. Paramedics arrived within 57 seconds, officials said — a rapid response that city leaders credited with saving lives.

According to Davis, the suspect circled the block multiple times before switching on his hazard lights and firing a pistol at patrons seated on Buford’s outdoor patio along West Sixth Street.

He then drove to another nearby street and unleashed rifle fire on pedestrians.

Officers confronted the gunman near East Sixth Street and shot him dead at an intersection, Davis said.

West Sixth Street is lined with bars and restaurants and draws crowds of University of Texas students and visitors every weekend. It sits just blocks from Austin’s historic East Sixth Street entertainment district, where police and EMS have increased their presence in recent years to boost safety.

Of the 14 people hospitalized, three remain in critical condition, EMS officials said.

Leaders Praise First Responders

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson thanked emergency crews for their swift action.

“I want to again reiterate my thanks to our public safety officers and officials that so rapidly were on the scene,” Watson said at a news conference. “They definitely saved lives.”

University of Texas President Jim Davis also addressed the tragedy.

“Today is a difficult day for our city and the University,” he said in a statement. “We are deeply saddened by the tragedy that occurred early this morning in downtown Austin. Our prayers are with the victims and all those impacted, including members of our Longhorn family, and my heart goes out to their families, friends, classmates, professors, and loved ones.”

As investigators continue combing through evidence, the normally electric pulse of Sixth Street has fallen into uneasy silence — a corridor of neon and music now marked by grief, unanswered questions and a city waiting for clarity.