Court records show Austin Sixth Street shooter was found to have a pattern of family violence

Judge’s 2022 divorce decree included a finding of family-violence pattern

Court records from a 2022 divorce case show a Texas district judge found that the man later identified as the Austin West Sixth Street gunman had a “history or pattern of committing family violence.” The finding was contained in a final divorce decree issued in September 2022, after a petition filed that same month in Bexar County.

The gunman, 53-year-old Pflugerville resident Ndiaga Diagne, was killed by police early Sunday, March 1, 2026, after authorities say he opened fire outside a bar on West Sixth Street shortly before 2 a.m. Three other people were killed and 13 were injured, police said.

Dispute in filings and a default judgment shaped custody and visitation terms

In the divorce pleadings, Diagne’s then-wife alleged cruel treatment. Records show Diagne submitted a handwritten response disputing the allegations. The case proceeded without him appearing in court, and the judge ultimately entered a default judgment.

The final decree included family-law restrictions tied to the family-violence finding. The order required that Diagne’s contact with the couple’s two young children be supervised through a child-protection-focused social services agency or another supervisor selected by the children’s mother. The decree also granted the mother primary decision-making authority over the children, reflecting how Texas courts can modify conservatorship and access arrangements when family violence is found.

What investigators have said so far about motive and broader inquiry

Authorities investigating the March 1 shooting have said the motive has not been determined and that multiple lines of inquiry remain open. Federal investigators have also examined whether evidence associated with the suspect could indicate a terrorism-related nexus, while emphasizing that the investigation is in an early phase and conclusions have not been finalized.

• Incident date and location: March 1, 2026, West Sixth Street bar district in downtown Austin.

• Casualties reported by authorities: three victims killed, 13 injured; the suspect was killed by police.

• Relevant prior court action: September 2022 divorce decree in Bexar County finding a “history or pattern of committing family violence,” with supervised visitation ordered.

The divorce decree’s family-violence finding did not, by itself, establish a motive for the March 2026 attack. It does document that a court had previously concluded there was a pattern of family violence and imposed custody and visitation safeguards.

Why the record matters in the public-safety discussion

The emergence of the divorce decree places renewed attention on how civil family-court findings can intersect with broader public-safety concerns. In Texas, findings of family violence can trigger protective measures in custody cases and may also interact with firearm restrictions under certain court orders. Investigators have not publicly detailed whether any such restrictions applied to Diagne at the time of the shooting, and officials have not released a comprehensive timeline of his firearm access.

For now, the divorce record adds verified context: a judge had formally concluded, years before the West Sixth Street attack, that Diagne showed a pattern of family violence, and the court structured parental access accordingly.