Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said Monday that investigators are examining whether a deadly mass shooting at a local bar may have been retaliation for recent U.S. strikes on Iran, as reported by Conservative Daily News.

Davis made the remarks during a joint press briefing with local and federal law enforcement officials following the Sunday shooting, which left two people dead and 14 others injured. Authorities identified the suspect as Ndiaga Diagne.

According to photos posted to social media by The New York Post, Diagne was wearing a hooded sweatshirt that read “Property of Allah” and a shirt underneath displaying the colors of the Iranian flag.

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The shirt also reportedly featured an image that Davis referenced during the briefing.

Photo reveals Austin mass shooter Ndiaga Diagne wore shirt with Iranian flag colors under his hoodie https://t.co/ySYeF3dDYl pic.twitter.com/Wl7cAg0vU4

— New York Post (@nypost) March 2, 2026

“I think for our purposes as we’re looking at the totality of this and certainly as a police chief, we are coming in, and we are getting this information,” Davis said when asked whether Diagne may have been motivated by the Saturday U.S. Iran strikes.

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“We see those indicators, the second shirt with Iran, a picture of the Shah on that T-shirt as well. We are thinking about events and what’s occurring in the country as well.”

It remains unclear whether Davis intended to reference the Ayatollah of Iran rather than the Shah of Iran. The Austin Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for clarification regarding her statement.

Davis said the investigation, which involves federal agencies, is focused on determining the suspect’s motive. Officials have not yet formally concluded that the shooting was directly connected to international events.

San Antonio FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran also addressed reporters during the briefing and cautioned against drawing conclusions prematurely.

“This is an around-the-clock, 24-hour investigation at this point,” Doran said.

“Any declarations on what led to that motive would be premature. We want to make sure we have our facts 100% correct or at least we’ve tracked down every possible lead we can because after all, that’s what we owe to the victims.”

Doran had previously stated on Sunday that the suspect and his vehicle carried indicators suggesting a “potential nexus to terrorism.”

During Monday’s update, he said that the possible connection remains one of several investigative lines being pursued.

Doran emphasized that, at this stage, investigators are still working to establish a clear motivation behind the attack. Authorities continue to analyze evidence and conduct interviews as part of the ongoing probe.

The shooting occurred one day after U.S. military strikes targeting Iranian assets, prompting questions about whether the incident could be linked to broader geopolitical tensions.

Law enforcement officials said they are reviewing all available information, including the suspect’s attire and other potential indicators.

Officials have not released additional details about the victims beyond confirming that two individuals were killed and 14 others were injured in the attack.

The investigation remains active, with cooperation between local law enforcement and federal agencies continuing.

Authorities said updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

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