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'Up to 20' people shot in mass shooting at Texas nightclub close to university
A Saturday night in downtown Austin turned into a tragedy in the early hours of Sunday morning when a gunman opened fire inside a packed bar, leaving three people dead and 14 others injured.
The shooting unfolded just before 2:00AM at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden, located near the University of Texas-Austin, as hundreds of young revelers filled the venue, per the New York Post.
Authorities have confirmed that the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is now involved in the investigation, signaling that officials are examining whether the motive could be linked to terrorism.
Police say the response was almost immediate. Within 57 seconds of receiving reports of a male suspect firing shots, three officers who were already patrolling the entertainment district arrived on scene.
Mass shooting at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden under federal investigation
According to officials speaking at a press conference, officers rushed toward the chaos after hearing reports of gunfire near East 6th Street. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis described the critical moments officers encountered upon arrival.
“Officers immediately transitioned, came over East 6th to West 6th Street and were faced with the individual with a gun,” Davis said.
The officers confronted the suspect and “returned fire,” killing the unidentified gunman at the scene.
The Austin-American Statesman reported that the suspect entered the bar armed with both a handgun and an assault rifle. Authorities have not yet released the identity of the shooter or any of the victims.
Three people were pronounced dead at the scene.
Victims rushed to hospital as critical injuries confirmed
First responders arrived in under a minute to assist victims. Fourteen people were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. Of those injured, three are currently listed in critical condition, officials confirmed.
The conditions of the remaining 11 wounded victims have not been announced.
Officials emphasized that more details will be shared as the investigation develops throughout the day. Federal agents are working alongside local law enforcement as part of the ongoing probe.
“This is a situation that we are going to be talking about probably all day,” Davis added.
Packed dance floor moments before gunfire erupted
Just hours before the violence broke out, the popular nightlife spot appeared to be buzzing with energy.
Videos shared to the bar’s Instagram story showed a jam-packed crowd of young people drinking and dancing to a DJ.
In the clips, the crowd could be seen singing along to Miley Cyrus’ 'Party in the USA' and Kelly Clarkson’s 'Since You Been Gone' while a smoke machine filled the space.
Moments before shots rang out, partygoers were enjoying live music on a tightly packed dance floor, according to footage posted on the beer garden’s social media.
Buford’s, a large nightlife venue that can hold up to 700 people, features a stage along with basketball, skeeball and video games.
On weekends, the bar operates between 12PM and 2:00AM It was preparing to close for the night when the shooting began.
Austin mayor praises rapid police response
City leaders addressed the tragedy as the investigation moved forward.
“Our hearts go out to the people that are victims of this and I want to reiterate my thanks to our public safety officers and officials that so rapidly were on the scene, they definitely saved lives,” Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said.
At this stage, authorities have not revealed a motive behind the attack. The involvement of the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force suggests investigators are carefully examining all possibilities.
Officials reiterated that additional information will be released as it becomes available.