AUSTIN, Texas — APD has released new information about the mass shooting outside of Buford’s on West Sixth Street in Austin on Sunday morning, and the police response to the incident.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis held a press conference at noon on Thursday to provide additional details about the shooting that left four dead, including the suspected gunman, and 19 injured.
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The victims have been identified as 30-year-old Jorge Pederson, 21-year-old Savitha Shan and 19-year-old Ryder Harrington. The suspected gunman, 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, was shot and killed by Austin police at the scene.
APD officers, along with members of Austin-Travis County EMS, arrived at the scene within 57 seconds, located multiple victims who were shot, and immediately began rendering first aid.
In the press conference, Chief Davis revealed that the suspect vehicle, a black Cadillac SUV, was traveling southbound on Rio Grande Street when it pulled alongside Buford’s. The driver of the vehicle then began shooting a semi-automatic handgun into the crowd of people that were standing outside of the bar, striking several individuals.
The vehicle then went westbound on West Sixth Street, parking near the intersection of West Sixth and Wood Streets. The suspect then got out of his vehicle armed with an AR-15 rifle.
Surveillance video from a parked car nearby shows the suspect walking with the rifle and firing at a pedestrian. The suspect then began walking back toward Buford’s.
Additional officers arrived to the scene; bodycam footage shows police walking westbound on Sixth Street, bystanders directing officers toward the suspect.
Chief Davis said that officers worked to move bystanders to safety and establish a secure perimeter, bodycam footage showing responding officers shouting at bystanders to get down while they went toward the suspect.
At 2:03 a.m., officers located the suspect near the intersection of West Sixth Street and West Avenue. Police say the suspect shot in the direction of the officers; the three officers fired at the suspect, striking him multiple times.
Bodycam footage shows officers approaching the shot suspect; police say they took him into custody and requested medical assistance, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene.
Chief Davis says APD is aware of 19 total victims, an increase from the originally reported 17 victims, including the gunman.
Davis said that the Austin Police Department had no contacts with the suspect, 53-year-old Diagne, prior to the shooting. She said his only interaction with law enforcement was in 2022 in reference to a welfare check with an outside agency in reference to his mental health.