Officers who killed Austin gunman won't face charges
#Austin gunman #police charges #Travis County DA #political backlash #grand jury #Austin shooting #Ndiaga Diagne
📌 Key Takeaways
- Travis County DA Jose Garza confirmed officers who killed Austin gunman won't face charges
- The announcement came amid political backlash from Republican lawmakers including Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Greg Abbott
- The shooting occurred when gunman Ndiaga Diagne shot at a crowd from his vehicle, killing three and wounding twelve
- Austin Police Association criticized DA Garza for creating a dysfunctional relationship with law enforcement
📖 Full Retelling
Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza announced in Austin on March 4, 2026, that the police officers who killed Austin gunman Ndiaga Diagne will not face charges, following the officers' quick response to a shooting that left three dead and twelve wounded at a local bar. The district attorney made clear that suggestions he would seek charges were 'intentionally false' and politically motivated, declaring the officers heroes who saved lives. 'It should go without saying that my office is not seeking any charges and would not seek charges,' Garza stated emphatically, adding that contrary accounts were being peddled for obvious political reasons. The announcement came amid significant political backlash, with Republican lawmakers reacting strongly after learning that lawyer Douglas O'Connell had been retained by the Austin Police Association to represent the three officers through a potential grand jury probe. Texas Governor Greg Abbott weighed in on social media, asserting that regardless of the DA's actions, he would have the final say in the officers' fate. The officers responded within minutes of the shooting, which occurred a little after 1:30 a.m. Sunday, when Diagne shot a handgun through his vehicle window at a crowd enjoying a night out at a bar. The 53-year-old gunman, who had an AR-style rifle and a Quran in his SUV, was subsequently killed by police during the confrontation. DA Garza, who campaigned on a policy of sending all police shooting cases to grand juries for review since taking office in 2021, faced criticism from Austin Police Association president Michael Bullock, who accused the DA of creating an environment of distrust between law enforcement and his office.
🏷️ Themes
Police accountability, Political polarization, Public safety
📚 Related People & Topics
2026 Austin bar shooting
Mass shooting in Texas, US
On March 1, 2026, a mass shooting occurred on West Sixth Street when 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne fired into Buford's Backyard Beer Garden, a bar located in the downtown of Austin, Texas, United States, at people inside and at people in the surrounding area. Diagne killed three people and injured thirt...
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Original Source
U.S. Officers who killed Austin gunman won't face charges despite "accounts to the contrary," DA says amid political backlash By Anna Schecter , Anna Schecter Senior Coordinating Producer, Crime and Public Safety Unit Anna Schecter is the senior coordinating producer for CBS News and Stations' Crime and Public Safety Unit, based in New York. Read Full Bio Anna Schecter , Jason Allen Jason Allen Correspondent Jason Allen is a CBS News correspondent based in Dallas/Fort Worth. He was previously a reporter with CBS News Texas. Read Full Bio Jason Allen Updated on: March 4, 2026 / 3:29 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google The officers who shot and killed the man who gunned down people enjoying a night out in Austin will not face a grand jury hearing, despite initial confusion over the district attorney's policy of sending all police shootings to a grand jury for review. Travis County DA Jose Garza said Tuesday that suggestions that he would seek charges in the killing were "intentionally false" and political in nature, calling the officers heroes. "It should go without saying that my office is not seeking any charges and would not seek charges," he said . "The accounts to the contrary are false, intentionally false, and are being peddled for obvious political reasons." His statement came on the heels of political backlash, as Republican lawmakers reacted to news that lawyer Douglas O'Connell had been retained by the Austin Police Association to see the three officers through a potential grand jury probe. "This… is INSANE," Sen. Ted Cruz posted to X . Texas Gov. Greg Abbott chimed in to decry the DA's policy: "These police officers are heroes who saved lives. Whatever the DA does, I will have the final say in the fate of these officers," he posted to X on Tuesday. The officers arrived within minutes of the shooting, a little after 1:30 a.m. Sunday, shooting and killing the gunman , identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne. Diagne, who had an AR-style rifle and a Quran...
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