AUSTIN, Tx — Austin police have identified two of the victims killed in a deadly mass shooting that erupted in the city's West Sixth Street entertainment district early Sunday morning, leaving three people dead — including the gunman — and 14 others wounded.
At a press conference Monday afternoon, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis identified the victims as Savitha Shan, 21, and Ryder Harrington, 19. Shan, also identified by the University of Texas at Austin as Savitha Shanmugasundaram, was an enrolled student at the school. Harrington had previously attended Texas Tech University, according to APD.
The third fatality was the shooter himself, 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne.
"Today, it was confirmed that among those who lost their lives is one UT student — a child of loving parents, a loyal friend to many, a Longhorn preparing to change the world," UT President Jim Davis wrote in a letter to the campus community Monday. "It is devastating, and I know all of us are grieved by this horrible news. We will remember her."
How the Shooting Unfolded
According to Chief Davis, Diagne circled the area multiple times before opening fire with a handgun outside Buford's, a bar on West Sixth Street, just before 2 a.m. Sunday. He then parked his SUV, got out, and began firing a rifle at the establishment. Officers in the area responded quickly, shooting and killing Diagne shortly after.
Emergency medical crews arrived on scene within a minute of receiving the call, Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said. Viewer-submitted video obtained by KXAN showed officers, medics, and bystanders performing CPR and providing emergency care to shooting victims on the scene.
Chief Davis said Diagne had legally purchased the firearms used in the attack in San Antonio.
While authorities have not yet announced a motive, the FBI's San Antonio field office said Sunday it is investigating the incident as a possible act of terrorism. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is also involved in the investigation.
FBI Special Agent Alex Doran confirmed agents are exploring all potential angles, adding that Diagne was "not on our radar" prior to the attack.
At the time of the shooting, Diagne was wearing a shirt bearing the Iranian flag and an image of the Shah — Iran's former monarch, who was overthrown during the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Austin police were asked Monday to clarify the significance of the clothing.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, speaking at an unrelated press conference Monday, confirmed that the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is also assisting. He said investigators are working to determine whether Diagne acted alone or had been in contact with others.
"We will not rest until every last trail or piece of information is pursued to determine if there's anybody else involved in this whatsoever," Abbott said. "And if so, we will track them down, find them, and bring them to justice."
The governor added that findings from the investigation would help authorities better identify and act against lone-wolf threats or individuals connected to terrorist organizations — "before they harm" anyone in Texas.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said officials plan to release more details at a press conference on Thursday.
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