Indian-American Student, Killed In Austin Bar Shooting

Three persons, including a 21-year-old Indian-American student, were killed in a shooting outside Buford’s bar in Austin, suspected to be a terrorist act. The gunman was also killed by the police.

The gunman opened fire in the early hours of Sunday. The victims were identified as Ryder Harrington, 19, and Indian-American Savitha Shan, 21. Shan was a native of Austin and a dual-degree senior at the University of Texas at Austin. The university authorities said that Shan was a prominent student leader, pursuing management information systems and economics. Shan was months away from graduation.

The killing sent shockwaves through Indian diaspora in Austin, particularly among students and tech professionals in the Silicon Hills corridor. The other victims was identified as Jorge Pederson, 30. More than a dozen others were injured in the shooting, a few of whom are said to be in a critical condition.

The suspected guman, Ndiaga Diagne, 53, was shot dead by the police. The FBI said they were investigating into potential links with terrorist outfits. Diagne was a naturalized American citizen born in Senegal. The shooting occurred around 1.59 am at the bar’s Backyard Beer Garden. The police neutralized the gunman within a minute of the first emergency call.

Following Shan’s death, the University of Texas campus was quiet as it ignited new fear about gun violence. Investigation is on into the motive behind the killing.