A UT senior was killed in the mass shooting on Sixth Street early Sunday morning, the Austin Police Department confirmed Monday.
The incident, which occurred at Buford’s bar at 2 a.m. on Sunday, resulted in four deaths, including the suspected shooter, and 13 additional injuries, according to APD. APD identified the shooter as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne.
In an email sent to students Monday, University President Jim Davis announced that a student died in the shooting and offered condolences to the student and her family. The student’s family requested that their child not be identified by name for privacy reasons.
“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,” Davis wrote. “It is devastating, and I know all of us are grieved by this horrible news and we will remember her.”
The other victim killed was identified as Ryder Harrington, a Texas Tech University student.
According to the Austin American-Statesman, one person was taken off life support and died. Police Chief Lisa Davis said in the Monday press conference that two more victims are in critical condition. She said APD is working with federal officials to determine the motive of the shooter. Alex Doran, FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge, said the shooting was a potential act of terrorism.
Mathematics junior Lauren Braxton was among those injured at Buford’s. Braxton said she was grazed in the forehead right when the shooting started and that her friend was hit in the leg.
“Me and my friends were just talking, and all of a sudden, we heard, I’m guessing, shots,” Braxton said. “I see like a flash, and then something hits me in the face really, really hard.”
Braxton said she hid in the bar’s bathroom while waiting for first responders. She spent several hours in the hospital and is now home with her family while waiting for surgery to remove a piece of shrapnel lodged in her eye. The University asked Braxton’s professors to give her flexibility with her classes, according to an email obtained by the Texan.
In response to the shootings, We Are Blood, a community blood donation center serving Central Texas, is calling for students to donate, given the increased need for transfusions for victims.
“As our community mourns and processes, we will also pull together,” We Are Blood wrote on their Instagram.
Jim Davis said UTPD will increase its patrols across UT and West Campus following the shooting.
“Campus safety and the security of all Longhorns remain our top priority,” Jim Davis wrote.
Braxton said the aftermath of the shooting left her more worried about gun violence.
“Gun violence is nowhere near okay, and you really think it won’t happen to you,” Braxton said. “It affects all of us.”
In response, UT’s chapter of Students Demand Action is hosting a vigil for students affected at the South Mall Lawn on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Student Government will also host a vigil on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
Editor’s Note: If you or anyone you know is struggling with the events of this past weekend, help is available. The Counseling and Mental Health Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and is offering extended hours and support groups this week. There is also a 24/7 CMHC Crisis Line at 512-471-2255.