At Least 2 Dead After Mass Shooting in Austin Texas

A packed night out in downtown Austin turned into chaos just before 2 a.m. Sunday when gunfire ripped through a popular bar on West 6th Street, leaving two people dead and more than a dozen others injured.

Police say the suspected gunman was also shot and killed by officers moments after they entered the building.

The violence unfolded at Buford’s Bar on the 600 block of Rio Grande Street, a busy nightlife corridor that typically draws crowds of students, tourists, and young professionals. According to authorities, three Austin Police Department officers encountered a man armed with a gun as they moved inside the bar following reports of an “Active Attack.”

“They engaged the suspect and returned fire,” officials said during a Sunday morning press briefing. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

Emergency crews arrived in under a minute after the first 911 call came in, according to Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckwitz. He described a “rapid, coordinated response” as paramedics treated victims on sidewalks and rushed others to waiting ambulances.

Three people — including the suspected gunman — were declared dead at the scene. Fourteen additional victims were transported to local hospitals with injuries ranging from serious to critical. Authorities have not yet released the names of the deceased.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson praised first responders for their speed.

“I’m very thankful for the speed with which our public safety officials responded,” Watson said. “There’s no question that it saved lives.”

Earlier in the night, the Austin Fire Department had alerted the public on social media that crews were responding to an “Active Attack” situation and urged residents to avoid the area. Videos circulating online showed flashing lights flooding the entertainment district as officers secured the perimeter and stunned patrons stood nearby.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has joined the investigation, according to sources familiar with the case. Officials stressed that the federal involvement is standard in high-casualty incidents and does not necessarily indicate a terrorism motive at this stage.

Investigators are now working to determine what sparked the shooting and whether the suspect specifically targeted the bar or its patrons. Detectives are reviewing surveillance footage and interviewing witnesses who were inside when the gunfire began.

Downtown Austin’s 6th Street district has long been known for its vibrant nightlife. But like many entertainment hubs across America, it has faced growing concerns over late-night violence in recent years. Sunday’s tragedy is likely to reignite debates about security, policing, and gun access in Texas’s capital city.

For now, a community that came out to unwind is left grieving.

Authorities are expected to release additional details as the investigation continues.