AUSTIN, Texas — Republican candidates on Tuesday’s primary ballot are describing the weekend mass shooting in Austin as an act of terror motivated by radical Islam, while federal investigators say the probe remains ongoing.
Axios reports the gunman allegedly wore a “property of Allah” sweatshirt when he opened fire outside an Austin bar Sunday, killing two people and injuring 14 others. The FBI said it is investigating the attack as a possible act of terrorism but has not publicly confirmed a motive.
Gov. Greg Abbott called the shooting an “act of terror.” U.S. Sen. John Cornyn stated, “Radical Islam has no place in Texas and our country.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who is challenging Cornyn, suggested the suspect could be part of an Iranian “sleeper cell.”
The remarks come as several Texas Republicans campaign on proposals to restrict sharia law. Abbott previously designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations, and Paxton filed suit seeking to block both groups from operating in Texas.
CAIR Texas pushed back in a letter to lawmakers, writing that “there is no parallel judicial system operating in Texas,” and warning that rhetoric targeting Islamic communities risks escalating tensions. Texas Democrats also condemned what they described as fear-based political messaging surrounding the attack.
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