Austin Bar Shooting: Three Victims Identified, Investigation Continues

A shooting in downtown Austin early Sunday morning has resulted in three confirmed fatalities and multiple injuries. Authorities have identified the victims as Jorge Pederson, 30, Savitha Shan, 21, and Ryder Harrington, 19. The incident occurred outside Buford’s, a popular bar on West 6th Street.

Victims Identified

The Austin Police Department (APD) announced the names of the victims on Monday and Tuesday. Savitha Shan, 21, and Ryder Harrington, 19, were the first two victims identified. Jorge Pederson, 30, was later confirmed to have died from his injuries.

Ryder Harrington was a student at Texas Tech University and a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. Savitha Shan was a dual-degree student at the University of Texas at Austin, a graduate of Baranoff Elementary School and LASA High School.

Jorge Pederson was described as an inspiration in Mixed Martial Arts, with a GoFundMe established to support his family.

Shooter and Investigation

The shooter has been identified as Ndiaga Diagne, 53, a Senegalese national and a naturalized U.S. Citizen. Diagne was fatally shot by police officers shortly after the attack.

Authorities are investigating the motive behind the shooting, including whether it was an act of terrorism. Sources familiar with the investigation have indicated that Diagne had a history of mental illness. He was wearing clothing with potentially symbolic references, including a sweatshirt with “Property of Allah” and a shirt with an Iranian flag theme.

The guns used in the shooting were acquired legally in San Antonio in 2017. Diagne first entered the U.S. On March 13, 2000, on a B-2 tourist visa, becoming a lawful permanent resident in 2006 and a naturalized citizen in 2013.

Ongoing Situation

Two other individuals remain hospitalized in critical condition. Authorities had initially indicated that a person on life support may have been Pederson, but this has not been definitively clarified.

Buford’s, the bar where the shooting occurred, is a popular spot for college students and young adults, located near the University of Texas at Austin campus and the Texas Capitol Building.