PULSE POINTS
WHAT HAPPENED: Ndiaga Diagne—the 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal who was fatally shot by police after attacking Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden in Austin, Texas, on March 1 in what is a suspected act of terrorism—previously faced a felony charge that was later reduced to a misdemeanor and then ultimately dismissed.
WHO WAS INVOLVED: Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen born in Senegal, was identified as the suspect. Victims include Savitha Shan, Ryder Harrington, and Jorge Pederson.
WHEN & WHERE: The attack occurred on March 1 outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden in Austin, Texas, shortly before 2 AM. Diagne’s prior arrest occurred in 2022, with his probation ending in 2024.
IMPACT: Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed that Diagne legally acquired the firearms used in the attack in San Antonio several years ago, something he may not have been able to do if the felony charge against him had been pursued.
IN FULL
Ndiaga Diagne—the 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal who was fatally shot by police after attacking Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden in Austin, Texas, on March 1 in what is a suspected act of terrorism—previously faced a felony charge that was later reduced to a misdemeanor and then ultimately dismissed. The March 1 terrorist attack resulted in three fatalities, with 14 others injured.
According to court documents, Diagne had previously faced a felony charge related to a December 2022 hit-and-run, but pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge. He completed probation in July 2024, and the case was dismissed. The records state witnesses saw Diagne, who was driving a Black Cadillac Escalade at the time, erratically changing highway lanes before he collided with another vehicle, pushing the victim into the cable barriers in the median of the highway.
Diagne allegedly fled the scene and was later tracked down by law enforcement after witnesses provided his license plate number. When confronted by a Texas Highway Patrol officer, Diagne denied that he had caused the crash or fled the scene, instead claiming he had been traveling to Houston at the time. The incident report notes that the Black Cadillac Escalade present in Diagne’s driveway at the time had damage consistent with a hit-and-run.
Despite initially lying to law enforcement about his involvement in the crash, Diagne entered into a plea agreement to a lesser misdemeanor charge. A Texas judge also agreed to place Diagne on probation under deferred adjudication, meaning that if he completed his probationary terms, the finding of guilt would not be entered into his record. After successfully completing his probationary program in July 2024, the misdemeanor charge against Diagne was dismissed.
Following the March 1 terrorist attack, photos of Diagne’s corpse circulated on social media, revealing he was wearing a “Property of Allah” hooded sweatshirt and an Iranian flag t-shirt underneath. The attack left three people dead—Savitha Shan, 21, Ryder Harrington, 19, and Jorge Pedersen, 30—and injured over a dozen others. Meanwhile, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed that Diagne legally acquired the firearms used in the attack in San Antonio several years ago, something he may not have been able to do if the felony charge against him had been pursued.
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