Doorbell Footage Captures Austin Mass Shooting Suspect Hours Before Deadly Attack
Newly surfaced doorbell camera footage shows Austin mass shooting suspect Ndiaga Diagne leaving a Del Valle apartment just one day before the deadly rampage that killed three people.
Doorbell Camera Captures Suspect Before Austin Mass Shooting
Newly surfaced doorbell camera footage has placed Austin mass shooting suspect Ndiaga Diagne, 53, at a Del Valle, Texas apartment just one day before the deadly attack that claimed three lives and left others critically injured.
The video, obtained by local outlet FOX 7, was recorded by a neighboring unit's doorbell camera and carries a timestamp of February 28 — a single day before the mass shooting unfolded in the early morning hours of March 1.
FBI Raids Apartment Linked to Suspect
The same neighbor who provided that footage also captured a separate clip showing FBI agents deliberately covering the doorbell camera moments before executing a raid on Diagne's apartment on March 2. The operation was carried out in connection with a search warrant tied to a unit linked to the suspect.
The day prior to the raid, federal agents had already descended on the Eastridge Apartments at approximately 11:30 a.m., surrounding a specific unit. One agent used a loudspeaker to instruct anyone inside unit 813 to step away from the windows.
Shortly after, residents reported hearing alarming sounds from within the complex.
"Then we heard like, gunshots, and then we heard a grenade, like a grenade bomb go off in the apartment. It was just a lot of cars and the FBI with their guns drawn," one anonymous resident told FOX 7.
Another resident, Alex Sky, described the scene upon returning home:
"I looked through the window from the restroom, and I just saw them right in the house, and they had a car in the grass right there. They had K-9s waiting too, they had rifles outside the gate."
Federal agents remained inside the apartment for several hours after gaining entry, marking at least the second location searched in connection with Diagne.
Second Property Searched in Pflugerville
In addition to the Del Valle apartment, ATF agents conducted a search at a second property in Pflugerville on Sunday, carrying out boxes believed to contain evidence. It remains unclear whether anyone was present inside either location when the search warrants were executed.
Three Victims Identified in Austin Bar Shooting
The investigation stems from a mass shooting that occurred just after 2 a.m. Sunday at Buford's Backyard Beer Garden in Austin. Three victims have been publicly identified by the Austin Police Department:
- Savitha Shan, 21
- Jorge Pederson, 30
- Ryder Harrington, 19
At least two additional victims remain in critical condition.
How the Attack Unfolded
According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, Diagne — a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal who resided in Pflugerville — activated his hazard lights, rolled down his car window, and opened fire with a pistol on patrons gathered on the patio and in front of the bar.
Following that initial volley of gunfire, the suspect drove westbound along Sixth Street before turning onto Wood Street, where he parked his vehicle. He then exited the car armed with a rifle and continued firing at pedestrians in the area, never entering the bar itself. Law enforcement officers engaged and fatally shot him at the scene.
FBI Investigating Possible Terrorism Connection
The FBI has since classified the shooting as a potential act of terrorism. Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office, addressed reporters at a press conference.
"Obviously, it's still way too early in the process to determine an exact motivation, but there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate a potential nexus to terrorism," Doran stated. "That's why we are investigating it very closely with our partners with the Austin Police Department."
The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force has also been deployed to assist with the investigation. Authorities have noted that Diagne was reportedly wearing a shirt bearing the Iranian flag during the attack, a detail that has drawn significant scrutiny from investigators and officials alike.
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has since called for stricter vetting processes for naturalized citizens in the wake of the shooting, as the full scope of the investigation continues to unfold.
