Waymo Vehicle Allegedly Blocks Emergency Crews Responding to Austin Mass Shooting

Video shows driverless car obstructing first responders during deadly incident

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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A video shared with a local news station allegedly shows a Waymo autonomous vehicle obstructing emergency crews responding to a mass shooting in Austin, Texas that left two people dead and 14 injured. The driverless car reportedly 'got stuck in the middle of the street and blocked emergency vehicles for a couple of minutes' before a police officer was able to move it out of the way.

Why it matters

The incident raises concerns about the ability of autonomous vehicles to safely navigate emergency situations and avoid impeding first responders. It comes as Waymo and other self-driving companies work to prove their technology is ready for public roads, especially in high-stakes scenarios.

The details

According to witness Matthew Turnage, he had ordered the Waymo vehicle around 2 a.m. on March 1 when it became stuck and blocked emergency crews responding to the shooting at Buford's bar. Authorities said the shooting, which left two dead and 14 injured, may have been a potential terrorist attack motivated by the U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran. The shooter, 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, was killed by police at the scene.

  • The shooting occurred just before 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 1, 2026.
  • The Waymo vehicle allegedly obstructed emergency crews for 'a couple of minutes' after being ordered around 2 a.m.

The players

Waymo

An autonomous driving company and subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google's parent company.

Matthew Turnage

A witness who said he ordered the Waymo vehicle that became stuck and blocked emergency responders.

Ndiaga Diagne

The 53-year-old shooter who was killed by police at the scene of the mass shooting.

Robert Luckritz

The Austin-Travis County EMS Chief who addressed the Waymo incident and said emergency vehicles were on the scene within 57 seconds.

Cooper Lohr

The Senior Policy Analyst for Transportation and Safety at Consumer Reports who said Waymo and other autonomous vehicle companies should have to prove their cars can stay out of the way of emergency responders.

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What they’re saying

“In the grand scheme of the impact on the overall incident, we don't believe it had any impact on patient outcomes.”

— Robert Luckritz, Austin-Travis County EMS Chief (KXAN)

“Blocking an ambulance during any emergency scenario, and especially during a mass-casualty response, is an unacceptable operational failure that could lead to additional lives lost.”

— Cooper Lohr, Senior Policy Analyst for Transportation and Safety, Consumer Reports (PEOPLE)

What’s next

Waymo said it would be in touch with authorities to address the concerns over the autonomous vehicle's response during the emergency situation.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the critical need for autonomous vehicle companies to ensure their technology can safely navigate and avoid obstructing emergency responders, especially in high-stakes scenarios like mass casualty events. Public trust and acceptance of self-driving cars will depend on proving they can handle these types of situations appropriately.