Waymo autonomous car blocks ambulance crew responding to deadly Austin mass shooting

Waymo self-driving car reportedly blocked ambulance responding to deadly Austin shooting, sparking concerns about autonomous vehicle emergency protocols. Austin Waymo autonomous car blocks ambulance crew responding to deadly Austin mass shooting Austin police officer had to enter the Waymo car and drive it away as ambulance approached scene with flashing lights By Bonny Chu Fox News Published March 3, 2026 7:44pm EST Facebook Twitter Threads Flipboard Comments Print Email Add Fox News on Google close Video Waymo self-driving car caught on camera blocking EMS response to Austin mass shooting site Footage shows autonomous vehicle stopping sideways in the roadway as ambulances with flashing lights rushed to downtown Austin. (Matthew Turnage/Fox 7 Austin) NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Footage captured a startling moment when a Waymo self-driving vehicle briefly blocked Austin ambulance crews rushing to the scene of Sunday's deadly mass shooting. The incident occurred around 2 a.m. at a popular entertainment hub, where a gunman fatally shot three people and wounded 13 more. In the footage, the Waymo car comes to a sideways stop in the road as an ambulance heads up the street with flashing lights. As the vehicle appeared slow to react, intermittently moving and stopping, visibly distressed witnesses shouted at it to move. A Waymo self-driving car is seen blocking emergency responders in downtown Austin. (Matthew Turnage/Fox 7 Austin) Moments later, an Austin police car arrives, and an officer enters the Waymo vehicle, driving it into a nearby garage.The company told Fox News Digital that, in the wake of the shooting, a Waymo car had been hailed by a rider for pickup when it identified a "road blockage and began executing a U-turn." As the ambulance appeared mid-turn, the car then "briefly yielded and was assisted by a nearby officer."TEXAS DEMOCRATIC SENATE CANDIDATES SIDESTEP ISLAMIC TERRORISM CONCERNS FOLLOWING DEADLY AUSTIN ATTACK A Waymo self-driving vehicle is positioned near police cars with flashing lights outside a downtown Austin parking facility at night. (Matthew Turnage/Fox 7 Austin) The company added that the incident served as a learning opportunity for road safety, particularly in densely populated cities. The Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) chief addressed the incident Monday, emphasizing that the blockage likely had little impact on the victims’ outcomes as police still arrived at the scene in less than a minute. A police officer enters a Waymo self-driving car. (Matthew Turnage/Fox 7 Austin)"[ATCEMS], as well as our fellow public safety partners, work very closely with the autonomous vehicle vendors that operate here in the city of Austin," Robert Luckritz said during a press conference. "We had more than 20 assets, resources that responded to this event. As said at an earlier press conference, we were on scene within 57 seconds. So in the grand scheme of the impact on the overall incident, we don't believe it had any impact on patient outcomes."Luckritz added that ATCEMS has been in contact with Waymo to discuss steps for addressing the issue moving forward. Police drive the Waymo self-driving vehicle into a garage in downtown Austin. (Matthew Turnage/Fox 7 Austin) CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APPEarly Sunday, multiple people were shot outside Buford's Backyard Beer Garden on West 6th Street in downtown Austin, Texas.Sources said the mass shooting is being investigated as a potential terrorism nexus, possibly linked to the recent U.S. and Israel strike on Iran, after the suspect — identified as 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen Ndiaga Diagne — was found wearing a "Property of Allah" sweatshirt and an undershirt depicting the Iranian flag. Related Article Austin mass shooting: Timeline traces suspect’s rap sheet as terror link probed Bonny Chu is a Digital Production Assistant at Fox News Digital. Related Topics AustinCrimeTransportationArtificial IntelligenceTechPolice and Law Enforcement True Crime The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal. Arrives Weekly By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time. Subscribe Subscribed Subscribe You've successfully subscribed to this newsletter!