Texas authorities identify victims of Austin bar shooting
Authorities have identified the three people shot and killed outside a bar in Austin, Texas, when a gunman opened fire in the early hours of Sunday.
Ryder Harrington, 19, and Savitha Shan, 21, died in the shooting outside a bar popular with University of Texas students, police said. Authorities announced Monday that the third victim, Jorge Pederson, 30, also died.
More than a dozen people were injured in the shooting, some of whom remain in critical condition.
The suspected shooter, Ndiaga Diagne, was shot dead by police. The FBI said it was investigating, among other possibilities, a potential link between terrorism and the war in Iran.
After responding to calls of an active shooter on Sunday around 2 a.m. local time (0800 GMT) near Buford’s bar in Austin, police said they shot the suspect.
Diagne was a naturalized American citizen born in Senegal, according to CBS News, the BBC’s American partner.
Authorities said two of the victims were students, but could not yet confirm which university they attended.
“We recognize that this is a very traumatic time in our city,” Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said during a press briefing Monday, adding, “I cannot imagine the grief, pain and loss these families are feeling today, and my heart goes out to them.”
Two sources close to the investigation told CBS News that the shooter was wearing a sweatshirt with the words “Property of Allah.”
CBS was also told by an official with knowledge of the investigation that agents who searched the shooter’s home found an Iranian flag and photos of Iranian leaders.
The attack came on the weekend that the United States and its ally Israel launched multiple strikes against Iran, killing its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said federal and state officials would investigate whether the violence had a link to terrorism.
“We will not rest until all leads or information are investigated to determine if there is anyone else involved in this matter,” the governor said during a press briefing Monday.
“And if that’s the case, obviously we will track them down, track them down and bring them to justice.”
Reuters
In an earlier briefing, Police Chief Davis said officers patrolling the most popular and busiest bar district known as East Sixth Street quickly responded to reports of a man with a gun at Buford’s, located further down West Sixth Street.
She said a man in a large SUV passing Buford’s turned on the vehicle’s hazard lights, rolled down its window and fired a gun, hitting people on the patio and sidewalk outside the bar.
He parked the vehicle nearby, got out with a rifle and began walking back toward the bar, according to Davis. Three police officers confronted the suspect at an intersection and shot him dead.
The SUV was searched and did not contain explosives, officials said.
However, Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran of the FBI’s San Antonio office said there were indications in the SUV and on the suspect suggesting a “nexus to terrorism.”
But Doran said the investigation was in its early stages and he was “not prepared to release those details.”
“We are determined to see this process through to the end,” he said.
Kelson Lee, 25, was within earshot when gunfire erupted at Buford’s home. He went inside to look for a friend, according to the Austin Current.
“I see about seven to eight bodies on the ground,” Lee told the local newspaper. “No one should ever have to see this.
“I kind of blacked out, I froze. I felt a little helpless because I wanted to help people.”
Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who represents Texas, condemned the deadly attack in a message posted on social media on Sunday.
“What happened early this morning in Austin was a senseless act of violence. My team and I are working in coordination with local, state and federal authorities,” he wrote.
“I am grateful for the heroic and rapid response of law enforcement.”
Davis said due to increased police and emergency resources in the entertainment area over the weekend, they were able to respond “quickly” to the scene.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson also praised the response of police and rescuers, which authorities said took 57 seconds. “I’m very grateful for the speed,” he said. “They definitely saved lives.”
The shooting took place days before the SXSW international festival, and authorities plan to provide updates at another briefing on Thursday.
Austin is home to both the capital of Texas and one of the state’s largest public universities, the University of Texas, located less than 2 miles from Buford.
East Sixth Street and West Sixth Street are popular destinations for the approximately 55,000 students who frequent the area most weekends.
Jim Davis, president of the University of Texas, said in a statement: “Our prayers are with the victims and all those affected, including our Longhorn family members, and my heart goes out to their families, friends, classmates, professors and loved ones.”
In a statement posted on social media Monday, Buford bar staff offered their condolences to the victims and their families and praised law enforcement for their quick response to the shooting.
“These were young people with their entire lives ahead of them, and our thoughts and prayers are with each family affected,” the statement said.
