Exclusive Doorbell Footage Captures Austin Shooting Suspect's Final Movements Before Rampage
Exclusive doorbell camera footage obtained by FOX 7 Austin reveals the suspect in last weekend's deadly mass shooting leaving his Del Valle apartment complex just one day before the rampage that left four dead and multiple others injured.
The video, timestamped February 28, shows 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne exiting the building. The same neighbor who provided this footage also captured FBI agents covering the camera moments before executing a search warrant at Diagne's unit on March 2.
Federal agents surrounded the Eastridge Apartments complex around 11:30 a.m. on March 1, with one agent using a loudspeaker to instruct anyone inside unit 813 to step away from windows. Neighbors subsequently reported hearing what sounded like gunfire and an explosion from the apartment.
"Then we heard gunshots, and then we heard a grenade, like a grenade bomb go off in the apartment. It was just a lot of cars and the FBI with their guns drawn," an anonymous resident told FOX 7.
Another resident, Alex Sky, described returning home to find armed agents positioned outside. "I looked through the window from the restroom, and I just saw them right in the house, and they had a car in the grass right there. They had K-9s waiting too, they had rifles outside the gate," Sky said.
This apartment marked the second location searched in connection with Diagne. Federal agents also executed a search warrant at a Pflugerville home on Sunday, with ATF agents seen removing boxes believed to contain evidence.
The footage emerges as investigators continue to piece together the events leading to the early Sunday morning shooting at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden. According to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, the gunman—a naturalized U.S. citizen originally from Senegal—activated his vehicle's hazard lights, rolled down his window, and began firing a pistol at patrons on the patio before continuing his attack on pedestrians along Sixth Street. He was ultimately shot and killed by responding officers.
The victims have been identified as 21-year-old Savitha Shan, 30-year-old Jorge Pederson, and 19-year-old Ryder Harrington. At least two additional victims remain in critical condition.
The FBI has classified the shooting as a potential act of terrorism. "There were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism," stated Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office, while cautioning that it remains "too early to make a determination." The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has been deployed to assist in the investigation.
The attack has reignited debates about public safety, immigration vetting, and domestic terrorism preparedness in Texas. State Attorney General Ken Paxton has called for stricter vetting processes for naturalized citizens in the wake of the shooting.
Community Reaction
Marcus Chen, 42, Security Consultant: "This footage is chilling but crucial for the timeline. It shows premeditation. The real question for authorities is what warning signs, if any, were missed in the days before the attack."
Dr. Elena Rodriguez, 38, Sociology Professor at UT Austin: "While the terrorism angle is being investigated, we must not lose sight of the profound community trauma. Our focus should be on supporting the victims' families and addressing the pervasive issue of gun violence that plagues our public spaces."
David K. Miller, 55, Talk Radio Host: "Absolute failure on multiple levels. We have a naturalized citizen, allegedly wearing symbols of a hostile regime, executing a planned attack, and the system saw nothing? This isn't just tragedy—it's a systemic security breakdown that demands accountability, not just thoughts and prayers."
Priya Sharma, 29, Eastridge Apartments Resident: "It's terrifying to think he was living here among us. The FBI raid was surreal—one minute it's quiet, the next our complex is a crime scene. We just feel violated and unsafe."