A rare mix of competitive races up and down the ballot has voters turning up to the polls in droves ahead of Tuesday’s primary election, which will set match-ups in the high-stakes midterms in November.
Austin, TX
How to check voting wait times in Travis County
Today is Election Day. The polls in Travis County are open today from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Sometimes the most convenient voting location may not be the fastest. Remember, voters registered in Travis County can vote at any voting location in Travis County.
To find the nearest vote center for you and to see what the expected wait time is, click here.
Anyone in line at the time the polls close will be allowed to cast their ballot.
The FOX 7 Elections page also has breakdowns of some of the hot ticket items Texans are voting on during this election.
Texas: The Issue Is – 2024 Election Special
The Texas: The Issue Is 2024 Election Special breaks down the key issues and races across Texas. Senator Ted Cruz and his challenger, Congressman Colin Allred sit down to talk about their race. Plus, a look at the presidential election between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris and the issues that could drive Texas voters to the polls.
Travis County Voting Locations
To jump to your city, click it here: Austin | Bee Cave | Cedar Park | Creedmoor | Del Valle | Elgin | Jonestown | Lago Vista | Lakeway | Leander | Manor | Pflugerville | Round Rock | Spicewood | Sunset Valley | Volente |
- Austin City Hall Media Room #1034 301 W 2nd St Austin 78701
- Austin Recreation Center Dance Studio 1301 Shoal Creek Blvd Austin 78701
- Sam Houston Building Break Room and Library 201 E 14th St Austin 78701
- Travis County Civil and Family Courts Facility Conference Room 1700 Guadalupe St Austin 78701
- Anita Ferrales Coy Facility Former Library Media Center 745 Mansell Ave Austin 78702
- Cantu Pan Am Recreation Center Gym 2100 E 3rd St Austin 78702
- Carver Branch Library Meeting Rooms B/C 1161 Angelina St Austin 78702
- Cepeda Branch Library Meeting Room 1 651 N Pleasant Valley Rd Austin 78702
- Huston Tillotson University Davage-Durden Student Union 900 Chicon St Austin 78702
- Millennium Youth Entertainment Complex East Media and Conference Room 1156 Hargrave St Austin 78702
- Mt Zion Baptist Church Family Life Center – Room #119 2938 E 13th St Austin 78702
- Terrazas Branch Library Meeting Rooms 1/2 1105 E Cesar Chavez St Austin 78702
- Howson Branch Library Meeting Room 2500 Exposition Blvd Austin 78703
- O Henry Middle School Gym 2610 W 10th St Austin 78703
- St Luke United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall 1306 W Lynn St Austin 78703
- Westminster Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall 3208 Exposition Blvd Austin 78703
- Church on Congress Avenue Fellowship Hall 1511 S Congress Ave Austin 78704
- Dawson Elementary School Cafeteria 3001 S 1st St Austin 78704
- Faith Presbyterian Church Wright Fellowship Hall 1314 E Oltorf St Austin 78704
- Mary Lee Foundation Center Lobby 1339 Lamar Square Dr Austin 78704
- South Austin Recreation Center Lobby 1100 Cumberland Rd Austin 78704
- South Austin Senior Activity Center Clubroom 3911 Menchaca Rd Austin 78704
- St Edwards University UFCU Alumni Gym 3001 S Congress Ave Austin 78704
- St John San Juan Lutheran Church Narthex 409 W Ben White Blvd Austin 78704
- St Marks Episcopal Church Parish Hall 2128 Barton Hills Dr #4651 Austin 78704
- Twin Oaks Branch Library Meeting Room 1800 S 5th St Austin 78704
- Wheatsville Food Coop South Lamar Community Kitchen 4001 S Lamar Blvd Austin 78704
- Zilker Elementary School Cafeteria 1900 Bluebonnet Ln Austin 78704
- Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary Room 211 100 E 27th St Austin 78705
- Lamar Senior Activity Center MPR 2874 Shoal Crest Ave Austin 78705
- LBJ School of Public Affairs Lobby 2315 Red River St Austin 78712
- UT Texas Union Room 2.214 2308 Whitis Ave Austin 78712
- Givens Recreation Center Game Room 3811 E 12th St Austin 78721
- Greater Mt Zion Baptist Church Assembly Room 4301 Tannehill Ln Austin 78721
- Southwest Key Programs Honduras Room 6002 Jain Ln Austin 78721
- Campbell Elementary School Entrance Hallway 2613 Rogers Ave Austin 78722
- Genesis Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall 1507 Wilshire Blvd Austin 78722
- Austin Energy Headquarters Capital Training Room 4815 Mueller Blvd Austin 78723
- East Nineteenth St Baptist Church Fellowship Hall 3401 Rogge Ln Austin 78723
- General Marshall Middle School Community Room 4401 Tilley St Austin 78723
- Memorial United Methodist Church Gym 6100 Berkman Dr Austin 78723
- Windsor Park Branch Library Meeting Room 5833 Westminster Dr Austin 78723
- YMCA East Communities Y Lobby 5315 Ed Bluestein Blvd Austin 78723
- Community First! Village Unity Hall 9301 Hog Eye Rd Austin 78724
- Delco Center Meeting Room 4601 Pecan Brook Dr Austin 78724
- Turner Roberts Recreation Center Arts and Crafts Room 7201 Colony Loop Dr Austin 78724
- Dailey Middle School Lobby of the Gym 14000 Westall St Austin 78725
- Grandview Hills Elementary School MPR 12024 Vista Parke Dr Austin 78726
- Peace Lutheran Church Narthex 10625 N FM 620 Austin 78726
- Davis Elementary School Portables 9 & 10 5214 Duval Rd Austin 78727
- Milwood Branch Library Meeting Room 12500 Amherst Dr Austin 78727
- Affinity at Wells Branch Main Lobby 14508 Owen-Tech Blvd Austin 78728
- Wells Branch Community Center Meeting Room 2106 Klattenhoff Dr Austin 78728
- Wells Branch MUD Recreation Center Arts and Crafts Room 3000 Shoreline Dr Austin 78728
- RRISD Hartfield PAC Lobby 5800 McNeil Dr Austin 78729
- River Place Elementary School MPR 6500 Sitio Del Rio Blvd Austin 78730
- Church at Highland Park Atrium 5206 Balcones Dr Austin 78731
- Northwest Hills United Methodist Church Youth Center 7027 Hart Ln Austin 78731
- Canyon Ridge Middle School Gym 12601 Country Trails Ln Austin 78732
- Randalls Steiner Ranch Café 5145 N FM 620 Austin 78732
- Ce Bar Fire Department Training Room 353 Commons Ford Rd Austin 78733
- Laura Bush Community Library Commons 9411 Bee Caves Rd Austin 78733
- Lake Travis ISD Educational Development Center Sage Room 607 Ranch Rd 620 N Austin 78734
- Travis County Sheriff West Command Show Up Room 3800 Hudson Bend Rd Austin 78734
- Community Center at Oak Hill Community Room 8656 State Hwy 71 Austin 78735
- Oak Hill Fire Dept No 302 Community Room 4111 Barton Creek Blvd Austin 78735
- Southwest Family Fellowship Sanctuary 8203 State Hwy 71 Austin 78735
- Mt Olive Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall 10408 US 290 Austin 78736
- Oak Hill Fire Dept No 301 Training Room 3 9211 Circle Dr Austin 78736
- Lake Travis ISD Transportation Center Training Room 16101 State Hwy 71 Bldg A Austin 78738
- Bailey Middle School Main Hallway 4020 Lost Oasis Hollow Austin 78739
- Bear Creek Elementary School Art Room 12801 Escarpment Blvd Austin 78739
- Circle C Community Center Meeting Rooms 1-3 7817 La Crosse Ave Austin 78739
- Dan Ruiz Branch Library Meeting Room 1 1600 Grove Blvd Austin 78741
- Girls Empowerment Network Community Room 2801 S I35 Frontage Rd #110 Austin 78741
- Good Shepherd on the Hill Parish Hall 1700 Woodland Ave Austin 78741
- Addison Amenity Center Amenity Center 6108 Kara Dr Austin 78744
- Austin Lighthouse Board Room Hallway 4512 S Pleasant Valley Rd Austin 78744
- George Morales Dove Springs Recreation Center Dance Studio 5801 Ainez Dr Austin 78744
- Josephine Houston Elementary School Cafetorium 5409 Ponciana Dr Austin 78744
- Ojeda Middle School Foyer of Gym 4900 McKinney Falls Pkwy Austin 78744
- Perez Elementary School Entrance Hallway 7500 S Pleasant Valley Rd Austin 78744
- Bedichek Middle School Gym Hallway 6800 Bill Hughes Rd Austin 78745
- Berkeley United Methodist Church Christian Life Center 2407 Berkeley Ave Austin 78745
- Dittmar Recreation Center AB Room Main building 1009 W Dittmar Rd Austin 78745
- Joslin Elementary School Cafeteria 4500 Menchaca Dr Austin 78745
- Menchaca Road Branch Public Library Meeting Room 5500 Menchaca Rd Austin 78745
- Pleasant Hill Branch Library Meeting Room 211 E William Cannon Dr Austin 78745
- Eanes ISD Admin Building Board Room 601 Camp Craft Rd Austin 78746
- Lost Creek Limited District Board Room 1305 Quaker Ridge Dr Austin 78746
- Randalls Flagship West Lake Hills Café 3300 Bee Caves Rd Austin 78746
- Riverbend Centre QUAD3ABCD 4214 N Capital of Texas Hwy Austin 78746
- Westlake United Methodist Church Gym 1460 Redbud Tr Austin 78746
- Blazier Intermediate Community Room 8801 Vertex Blvd Austin 78747
- St Albans Episcopal Church Assembly Room 11819 IH 35 S Austin 78747
- Akins High School Gym Foyer 10701 S 1st St Austin 78748
- Mosaic Church South Austin The Commons 9910 Bilbrook Pl Austin 78748
- Randalls Brodie Café 9911 Brodie Ln Austin 78748
- Southpark Meadows Suite C1000 9300 S IH 35 Frontage Rd Austin 78748
- State Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ Association Training Room 707 FM 1626 Austin 78748
- upRising Austin Worship Center 8601 S 1st St Austin 78748
- Villages of Shady Hollow Amenity Center Amenity Center 12006 Gatling Gun Ln Austin 78748
- Westoak Woods Baptist Church CMB Room #104 2900 W Slaughter Ln Austin 78748
- Austin Oaks Church Family Life Foyer 4220 Monterey Oaks Blvd Austin 78749
- Boone Elementary School Cafetorium 8101 Croftwood Dr Austin 78749
- Bowie High School VC Room 4103 W Slaughter Ln Austin 78749
- Mills Elementary School Multi Purpose Room 6201 Davis Ln Austin 78749
- Shepherd of the Hills Presbyterian Church Narthex 5226 W William Cannon Dr Austin 78749
- Will Hampton Branch Library Meeting Room 5125 Convict Hill Rd Austin 78749
- Central City Austin Sanctuary 9023 Old Lampasas Tr Austin 78750
- Lakewood HOA Community Room/Main Clubhouse 7317 Lakewood Dr Austin 78750
- Baker Center Alamo Drafthouse Cafetorium 3908 Avenue B Austin 78751
- Winters Building Main Lobby 701 W 51st St Austin 78751
- Austin Achieve Northeast Campus High School Gym 7424 E Hwy 290 Austin 78752
- Austin Permitting and Development Center #1407 6310 Wilhelmina Delco Dr Austin 78752
- TA Brown Elementary School Community Room 7801 Guadalupe St Austin 78752
- Barrington Elementary School Building 300 400 Cooper Dr Austin 78753
- Connally High School Large Gym Foyer 13212 N Lamar Blvd Austin 78753
- Gus Garcia Recreation Center Senior Room 1201 E Rundberg Ln Austin 78753
- North Austin Muslim Community Center Building 106 11900 N Lamar Blvd Austin 78753
- Our Savior Lutheran Church Narthex 1513 E Yager Ln Austin 78753
- St Mark United Methodist Church Lawshae Community Building 601 W Braker Ln Austin 78753
- Village at Collinwood Breakfast Room 1001 Collinwood West Dr Austin 78753
- Austin Fire Station No 41 Bay 11205 Harris Branch Pkwy Austin 78754
- Congregation Beth Israel Smith Auditorium 3901 Shoal Creek Blvd Austin 78756
- McCallum High School Performing Arts Center Foyer 5600 Sunshine Dr Austin 78756
- Yarborough Branch Library Meeting Room 2200 Hancock Dr Austin 78756
- Ben Hur Shrine Center Ballroom 7811 Rockwood Ln Austin 78757
- Grace + Peace Austin Gym 6301 Woodrow Ave Austin 78757
- Lamar Middle School Gymnasium 6201 Wynona Ave Austin 78757
- North Village Branch Library Meeting Room 2505 Steck Ave Austin 78757
- Northwest Recreation Center Classroom #2 2913 Northland Dr Austin 78757
- Rosedale School Community Room 7505 Silvercrest Dr Austin 78757
- Disability Rights Texas Board Rooms 2222 W Braker Ln Austin 78758
- Grant AME Worship Center Leon Thomas Annex 1701 Kramer Ln Austin 78758
- Jaime Padron Elementary School Music Room 2011 W Rundberg Ln Austin 78758
- Juan P Navarro Early College High School Main Hallway 1201 Payton Gin Rd Austin 78758
- YMCA North Austin Gym 1000 W Rundberg Ln Austin 78758
- Anderson High School Library 8403 Mesa Dr Austin 78759
- Balcones Woods Shopping Center Suite 102 11150 Research Blvd Austin 78759
- Junior League of Austin Community Room 5330 Bluffstone Ln Austin 78759
- Shops at Arbor Walk Suite A150 10515 North Mopac Expy Austin 78759
- St Matthews Episcopal Church Huffman Hall 8134 Mesa Dr Austin 78759
- Bee Cave City Hall Community Room A 4000 Galleria Pkwy Bee Cave 78738
- Christ Episcopal Church Parish Hall 3520 Whitestone Blvd Cedar Park 78613
- Deer Creek Elementary School MPR 2420 Zeppelin Dr Cedar Park 78613
- Creedmoor Community Center Meeting Room 12511 FM 1625 Creedmoor 78610
- Community Center at Del Valle Activity Room/ Bldg D 3518 S FM 973 Del Valle 78617
- Del Valle ISD Admin Building Board Meeting Room 5301 Ross Rd Del Valle 78617
- Elroy Community Library The Learning Center 13512 FM 812 Del Valle 78617
- Ministerios Filadelfia Iglesia Cristiana Sanctuary 13704 County Line Rd Elgin 78621
- Community Center at Jonestown Community Room 18649 FM 1431 STE 6A Jonestown 78645
- K Oaks Clubhouse Meeting Room 7000 Bar K Ranch Rd Lago Vista 78645
- Lago Vista High School Lobby of PAC 5185 Lohman Ford Rd Lago Vista 78645
- Lakeway Activity Center Ballroom A 105 Cross Creek Lakeway 78734
- Round Mountain Baptist Church Sunday School Classroom 14500 Round Mountain Rd Leander 78641
- Eternal Faith Baptist Church Fellowship Hall 12720 FM 973 Manor 78653
- Manor ISD Admin Building Technology Room 10335 Hwy 290 Manor 78653
- New Sweden Lutheran Church Foundation Center Room 12809 New Sweden Church Rd Manor 78653
- Whisper Valley Discovery and Amenity Center Media Room 9400 Petrichor Blvd Manor 78653
- Bible Baptist Church of Pflugerville Auditorium 14400 Immanuel Rd Pflugerville 78660
- Boulder Ridge Clubhouse Clubhouse 3300 Killingsworth Ln Pflugerville 78660
- Cambridge Villas Dining Room 15711 Dessau Rd Pflugerville 78660
- Hendrickson High School PAC Lobby 19201 Colorado Sand Dr Pflugerville 78660
- PfISD Rock Gym Gymnasium 702 W Pecan St Pflugerville 78660
- Pfluger Hall and Conference Center Great Hall 201 N Railroad Ave Pflugerville 78660
- Pflugerville Lions Club Main Hall 500 N Railroad Ave Pflugerville 78660
- Pflugerville Public Library 3 Meeting Rooms 1008 W Pfluger St Pflugerville 78660
- Reserve at Westcreek Great Room 17701 Bridgefarmer Blvd Pflugerville 78660
- Stone Hill Apartments Community Room 17900 Pfluger Farm Ln Pflugerville 78660
- Travis County HHS Pflugerville Community Center Activity Room 15822 Foothill Farms Loop Pflugerville 78660
- Typhoon Texas Waterpark Main Lobby 18500 TX 130 Service Rd Pflugerville 78660
Round Rock
- All Nations Church Family Room 16804 Radholme Ct Round Rock 78664
Spicewood
- Briarcliff POA Community Center Community Room 22801 Briarcliff Dr Spicewood 78669
Sunset Valley
- Sunset Valley City Hall Council Chambers 3205 Jones Rd Sunset Valley 78745
Volente
- Volente Fire Department Meeting Space 15406 FM 2769 Volente 78641
If you have questions about your ballot, voting locations, or anything else, ask your county election office.
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If you have more questions about the voting process, you can find more information here.
A voter heads into the Ben Hur Shrine polling place in Austin as early voting begins for the March primary elections in Texas, Feb. 17, 2026. Voters can cast their ballots to decide who represents Republicans and Democrats in the November midterm elections.
Voters will decide if U.S. Sen. John Cornyn gets to keep the seat he’s held for more than two decades and which candidates will likely take a slew of redrawn congressional seats meant to give Republicans an edge. The races could decide control of Congress.
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TEXAS VOTER GUIDE 2026: What’s on the ballot in Austin on March 3?
Plus, there are multiple statewide office openings for the first time in more than a decade. And voters will decide who will challenge Gov. Greg Abbott as he seeks a record fourth term in office.
U.S. Senate
After more than two decades in the U.S. Senate, John Cornyn’s political career hangs in the balance.
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Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has led most of the public polling leading into the election, as he campaigns on a Make America Great Again platform that seeks to paint the more establishment Cornyn as out of touch. Further complicating Cornyn’s path to reelection is U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt of Houston, whose campaign has focused attention on Cornyn’s 74-years of age.
The primary is expected to be one of the tightest statewide races in recent history, with most political observers predicting it will go to a runoff.
On the Democratic side, two of the party’s fastest-rising stars are facing off in a race that has largely been a contrast of styles.
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U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a 44-year-old former public defender, has cast herself as a partisan fighter who is unafraid to go toe-to-toe with President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans.
State Rep. James Talarico, a 36-year-old former middle school teacher in San Antonio, skyrocketed to national fame last year by leaning into his Christian faith and warning that Republicans are trying to use religion as a wedge by pushing such legislation as requiring public schools to post placards of the Ten Commandments.
Attorney General
The race for attorney general has become one of the most closely watched elections this cycle after Ken Paxton opted to leave the job to run for U.S. Senate, opening up the seat for the first time in more than a decade.
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A crowded field of candidates is vying for the job and raising eye-popping totals. It’s become the second-most expensive race for political ad spending in Texas after the contest for U.S. Senate.
On the Republican side, state Sens. Joan Huffman and Mayes Middleton, former DOJ official and former Paxton aide Aaron Reitz, and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy are competing.
Public polling has shown Roy ahead, but more recent surveys indicate Middleton is gaining ground.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, for whom both Roy and Reitz worked as chief of staff, is backing Roy, while Reitz nabbed his own major endorsement from Paxton.
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The Democrats gunning for a chance to be the state’s top lawyer include former federal prosecutor and FBI agent Tony Box; lawyer, mediator and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski; and lawyer and state Sen. Nathan Johnson.
Jaworski and Johnson have emerged as early leaders, but many voters were still undecided, public polling showed.
Comptroller
The fight to run Texas’ top financial agency features an expensive GOP brawl. Gov. Greg Abbott is backing his ally Kelly Hancock, who is currently serving as acting comptroller, against former state Sen. Don Huffines, an antagonist of the governor’s who has lined up support from grassroots activists. Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick is running, as well, with support from the oil and gas industries.
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Democratic state Sen. Sarah Eckhardt of Austin appears to be the favorite for her party’s nomination and faces former Houston ISD trustee Savant Moore and Houston resident Michael Lange.
The winner will have an outsized role in Abbott’s property tax-slashing agenda should he win a fourth term in office. They will also oversee the state’s new $1 billion private school voucher program.
Agriculture Commissioner
Three-term incumbent Sid Miller is battling beekeeper and entrepreneur Nate Sheets, who has the endorsement of Gov. Greg Abbott and several Republican lawmakers.
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Miller, a onetime rodeo champion, has won the endorsement of President Donald Trump, who made his choice known in a social media post after his visit to Corpus Christi on Friday.
Congressional District 31
U.S. Rep. John Carter of Georgetown is facing a crowded field of Republican primary challengers, including a one-time TV pitchman as he pushes for a 13th term in Congress.
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Carter has President Donald Trump’s “complete and total” endorsement.
His GOP challengers are: businessman Abhiram Garapati, who has challenged Carter three times before; Army veteran William Abel, who was among Carter’s 2024 opponents; Elvis Lossa, an Army veteran who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq; Steven Dowell, a former member of the Army’s military police; Vince “Shamwow” Shlomi, who hosted offbeat infomercials for cleaning products; and Valentina Gomez, a former collegiate swimmer who two years ago made an unsuccessful bid for the GOP nomination for Missouri secretary of state.
A gunman opened fire outside a bar in Austin’s West Sixth Street entertainment district shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday, killing two people and injuring 14 others, authorities said.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the suspected gunman drove a large SUV around the block several times before the attack. He then rolled down the windows and began firing a pistol, striking patrons at the bar.
The gunman then parked, exited the vehicle and continued shooting with a rifle, police said.
Paramedics and police arrived within a minute after the first 911 call, Davis said. Officers fatally shot the suspected gunman at the scene.
Here’s what we know so far.
Who were the victims?
Authorities identified the victims as 24-year-old Saditha Shan and 19-year-old Ryder Harrington, a student at Texas Tech University.
“It is unfair, to say the least, that my little brother was only given 19 years on this earth,” his brother, Reed Harrington, wrote on Facebook. “Watching the man he had become, and seeing all the lives he touched, leaves me certain that this world was robbed of a great future.”
Three people injured during the shooting remained in critical condition Monday, though one is expected to be taken off life support later today, Davis said during a Monday news conference.
Who was the gunman?
Austin police identified the gunman as Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old man originally from Senegal.
The Department of Homeland Security said Diagne entered the United States on a tourist visa in 2000, became a lawful permanent resident in 2006 after marrying a U.S. citizen and became a naturalized citizen in 2013.
In 2017, Diagne legally purchased the guns he used in the shooting in San Antonio, Davis said.
Diagne was arrested in 2022 on a misdemeanor charge of “collision with vehicle damage,” typically issued when a driver leaves the scene of a crash.
The New York Post reported Diagne was arrested for “illegal vending” in New York City in 2001. Citing unnamed sources, the tabloid said he was arrested in New York three other times between 2008 and 2016, but those records are sealed. The Post did not report on whether he was convicted of any crimes.
Authorities said they expect to release more information on Diagne’s criminal history on Thursday as well as body camera footage and other details related to the officer-involved shooting that led to Diagne’s death.
What was the motive?
Investigators have not announced a motive. However, Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of FBI San Antonio, said there were indicators that the shooting could be related to terrorism.
Diagne wore a sweatshirt emblazoned with the words “Property of Allah” and a shirt with a design of the Iranian flag, according to the Associated Press. The shooting came hours after the United States and Israel carried out airstrikes in Iran.
What are elected officials saying?
Reactions from Texas politicians have largely fallen along partisan lines. Democrats are calling for stricter gun laws, while some Republicans have focused on the gunman’s immigration history.
After Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico called for proposals such as universal background checks, red flag laws and closing the gun show loopholes that allow for the private sales of firearms at gunshows, Gov. Greg Abbott said the problem wasn’t gun laws but with “unvetted” immigration.
Disclosure: Facebook and Texas Tech University have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here.
Federal investigators are looking into whether a shooting in Austin, Texas, on Sunday—that involved a gunman opening fire at a downtown beer garden, killing two and wounding 14—constitutes a potential act of terrorism.
Alex Doran, the acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office, said in a press conference that while it’s still too early to determine a motive, authorities found “indicators” on the alleged gunman and in his vehicle that “indicate potential nexus to terrorism.”
The suspected gunman, who was reportedly wearing clothes that bore “Property of Allah” and an Iranian flag design, was shot dead in a standoff with law enforcement.
The shooting happened just a day after the U.S. and Israel launched a major military campaign against Iran. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said President Donald Trump was briefed on the shooting.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican who expressed support for the latest Iran strike, said in a statement: “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.” A day before the incident, Abbott directed the Texas Military Department to activate service members to “work alongside state and federal partners to safeguard our communities and critical infrastructure,” and he directed the state’s Department of Public Safety and the Texas National Guard, to “intensify patrols and surveillance.”
Here’s what to know.
What happened?
Shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday, the suspect circled past Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on Sixth Street several times in a “large SUV,” before stopping and opening fire with a pistol out of the vehicle window at people on the patio and gathered outside the bar, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said in a press briefing on Sunday.
The suspect parked the vehicle, stepped out with an assault rifle, and started firing at people on the street, according to Davis. Officers responding to the incident shot and killed the gunman.
The shooting took place along Sixth Street, a popular nightlife and entertainment district located a few miles from the University of Texas at Austin. Three people, including the suspect, were killed, and 14 were injured in the attack. All of those injured were transported to local hospitals, with three in critical condition, Austin EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said at the Sunday briefing. The names of the victims were released as of Sunday night.
Jim Davis, president of UT Austin, confirmed in a statement that members of the university community were among those affected by the shooting, although they have not been publicly identified. “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,” Davis said. “As Longhorns, we feel this pain together.”
What do we know about the suspect?
The Austin Police Department identified the suspect as Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old man. Diagne, who was born in Senegal, officials told the Associated Press, first came to the U.S. in 2000 on a B-2 tourist visa, according to a Department of Homeland Security statement to the AP. He married a U.S. citizen in 2006 and became a lawful permanent resident, before becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2013.
A law enforcement official briefed on the case told CNN that Diagne was wearing a shirt with an Iranian flag design and a hoodie emblazoned with “Property of Allah.” The AP also reported the words and symbols on his clothes, also citing a law enforcement official.
The Austin American-Statesman reported that investigators searched a house in Pflugerville, north of Austin, linked to Diagne’s possible relative. Local television station KXAN reported that Diagne had been issued a driver’s license with an address in Pflugerville in 2017.
Neighbors speaking to the New York Times said Diagne had maintained a low profile. “They kept very much to themselves,” Chris Finch, who lived next to the searched home, said. “They didn’t really say hi or anything.”
Another neighbor and the president of the neighborhood’s homeowners association, Eddie Garcia, said he was never aware of any previous issues. “We’re all neighbors and respect each other but we are also private and keep to ourselves,” he told the Statesman.
How are authorities reacting?
Mayor Kirk Watson called the shooting “an extremely difficult, traumatic moment” for the city.
Senator Ted Cruz (R, Texas) said the shooting was a “senseless act of violence” and that he and his team are coordinating with local, state, and federal authorities over the incident.
Other Texas politicians have been united in condemning the shooting and extending condolences to victims and their loved ones, but they have been divided along partisan lines as to what’s to blame for the attack.
In a statement posted on X, eight Democrats in the Texas state legislature, including U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico, said, “Gun violence continues to steal the lives of far too many Texans. Our hearts are with the victims of today’s shooting and their families. We will never stop fighting for them.”
Rep. Greg Casar (D, Texas) posted, “We must end America’s gun violence epidemic. Americans should be able to have fun at a bar without it turning into an unspeakable nightmare like this one— and I will redouble my efforts in Congress to prevent the next tragedy like this.”
“Gun violence is preventable. This devastating loss of life was preventable,” Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D, Texas) posted on X. “Until Republicans find the courage to say no to the NRA, our country will be plagued with more tragedies.”
Republicans, on the other hand, have blamed the attack on Islamic extremism and mass migration. Rep. Chip Roy (R, Texas) said, in response to Doggett, that “Muslim immigrant violence – naturalized or not – is preventable. Until Democrats (& Republicans) find the courage to say no to the mass migration of Islamists, our country will be plagued with more tragedies…”
In another post, Roy said the shooting in Austin was “carried out by a suspected Islamist who came on a tourist VISA, and OVERSTAYED for years,” adding that the “tragedy was preventable” and that “failed policies have real consequences.”
“Allowing unvetted immigrants who are hostile to America, who are loyal to our adversaries like Iran, must end,” Abbott, the Republican governor, said in response to a call by Talarico for stricter gun regulations. “The way to end it is to end the current open immigration policies.” (Talarico responded, “Dangerous people should not be allowed into the country. Dangerous people should not be allowed to get guns.”)
The Texas chapter of the Muslim rights advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations condemned the shooting in a statement, but it also rejected using the incident to attack the larger Muslim community.
“While a single person carried out this heinous attack last night, hundreds of thousands of Texas Muslims finished their night prayers and headed to their homes while calling on God for global peace and justice,” the statement said. “We encourage elected officials, law enforcement, faith leaders, and community members to come together to support the families of the victims and reaffirm our shared commitment to public safety.”
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