Police release 'difficult to see' bodycam footage of Austin bar shooting

Police have released video footage and recordings of 911 emergency calls from the hours surrounding the moment a gunman opened fire outside a bar in Austin, Texas - an attack being investigated as a potential act of "terrorism".

"There's people shot. We need help right now," one caller is heard telling police.

Footage from police body cameras shows the chaotic scene as officers advance on the suspect, eventually shooting him to stop the attack. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis described the video as "difficult to see".

Three people were killed and 16 injured in the shooting over the same weekend the US launched strikes on Iran, fuelling fears of violent retaliation against Americans.

Ryder Harrington, 19, Savitha Shan, 21, and Jorge Pederson, 30, were killed outside the bar, which is popular with University of Texas students.

The suspect has been named as Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalised US citizen born in Senegal. Authorities have not commented on his possible motive.

Investigators searched the gunman's home and found an Iranian flag and pictures of Iranian leaders, US media reported.

The gunman was wearing a shirt that resembles the Iranian flag under his hoodie, according to CBS News, the BBC's US partner.

Officials say the gunman started firing a pistol from his car before stepping out and using an AR-15 rifle to attack bystanders.

Police responded within 57 seconds of 911 calls being made to emergency services, according to a news release.

Austin police released the footage, as well as audio of the 911 emergency calls, in a news conference on Thursday.

"As you can see, this was a chaotic scene," Davis told reporters, adding that it was "overwhelming for many".

She praised officers for their response, and how they immediately began applying tourniquets to victims after the gunfight ended.

The disturbing video shows the suspect wearing a hoodie with the words "Property of Allah" as he fires a semi-automatic rifle.

The FBI has said it is looking into whether there was a "nexus to terrorism".

Asked about the FBI, Davis said investigators were still examining the gunman's "digital evidence".

"We are not ready to talk about exactly what that nexus is," she said, praising the decision to bring in the FBI to assist the investigation.