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.
