Elon Musk Says Tesla Fired Austin Shooter for Assaulting a Woman

Elon Musk has recalled how Tesla dismissed a former employee after he violently assaulted a woman at the company’s factory in Austin, Texas. The employee, identified as Ndiaga Diagne, allegedly attacked the woman after she accidentally stepped on his prayer rug. Musk said Tesla terminated his employment in December 2025 following the incident. Months later, Diagne became the suspect in a mass shooting in Austin that killed three people in March 2026.

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Musk Recalls the Former Employee’s Dismissal

Musk discussed the incident during a recent interview with Walter Isaacson on the YouTube channel The Builders. During their conversation, Isaacson asked whether broad generalisations about groups could conflict with the principle of treating people as individuals. Musk responded that people do not all share the same mindset or motivations. He also argued that society must recognise individuals who may pose a serious threat to others.

Musk then described the incident at Tesla’s Austin factory, where the employee was reportedly praying on a rug when a woman accidentally stepped on it. According to Musk, the man responded by violently assaulting her. Tesla subsequently fired him over the alleged attack in December 2025. Musk cited the incident while discussing his concerns about individuals who commit violent acts.

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Details of the Austin Mass Shooting

Authorities identified Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old naturalised US citizen originally from Senegal, as the suspect in the March 1, 2026, shooting in Austin’s West Sixth Street district. According to reports cited in the original article, the attack killed three people and injured 13 others. Police officers confronted Diagne near the scene and shot him dead. Investigators later examined the circumstances surrounding the attack and the suspect’s background.

The shooting unfolded shortly before 2 a.m. outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden, a popular nightlife venue on Austin’s Sixth Street near the University of Texas. Police Chief Lisa Davis said officers arrived within a minute of receiving the first emergency call. Investigators reported that the suspect drove around the area before opening fire at people gathered outside the bar. He allegedly fired a pistol from his SUV before getting out with a rifle and shooting at pedestrians, prompting officers to intervene.

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