The gunman behind a deadly Austin bar shooting that left two dead and 14 injured had entered the United States and secured legal status under Democratic administrations, sources told The Post.
According to the New York Post, Ndiaga Diagne, 53, a Senegalese national, arrived in the U.S. on March 13, 2000, on a B-2 tourist visa during the Clinton administration, a source familiar with his immigration history said.
He later became a lawful permanent resident in June 2006 after marrying a U.S. citizen.
Despite multiple arrests in New York City between 2001 and 2016 — including one for illegal vending — Diagne was naturalized as a U.S. citizen on April 5, 2013, during President Obama’s second term.
Sources noted that several of his arrests are sealed. Diagne was also arrested in Texas at an unspecified time and had a history of emotional instability, according to law enforcement.
In 2016, Diagne applied for asylum, though officials have not disclosed the purpose or outcome of that application.
Authorities say the shooter opened fire outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden near the University of Texas-Austin campus early Sunday, targeting bar patrons before police shot and killed him.
He reportedly wore a “Property of Allah” hoodie and had a Quran in his car. Social media footage from the venue shows a crowded interior before the attack.
The FBI is investigating whether Diagne’s actions were influenced by the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran. Sources said he was wearing an undershirt featuring the Iranian flag or related imagery at the time of the rampage.
This latest tragedy has sparked renewed debate over the vetting process for immigrants with criminal histories and mental health concerns.
Authorities continue to investigate the shooter’s motives and any potential connections to extremist ideology.
