{"id":188847,"date":"2026-03-03T19:58:07","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T19:58:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/188847\/"},"modified":"2026-03-03T19:58:07","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T19:58:07","slug":"aggies-recount-weekend-trip-during-6th-street-shooting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/188847\/","title":{"rendered":"Aggies recount weekend trip during 6th Street shooting"},"content":{"rendered":"

AUSTIN, Texas (KBTX) \u2014 For many Texas A&M students, a weekend trip to Austin\u2019s Sixth Street is part of the college experience. Whether it\u2019s for a fraternity formal or just a Saturday away from College Station, there are often traces of Aggie maroon in the entertainment district.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe go to Austin every spring,\u201d said Evan Autrey, a sophomore finance major at Texas A&M. \u201cVibes were very high. We wanted to take a break from school… so to get away and have some fun with our friends was something we were all looking forward to.\u201d<\/p>\n

But early Sunday morning, that tradition was shaken by gunfire from the shooting on Sixth Street.<\/a><\/p>\n

What began as a night of celebration turned into a scene of chaos and terror.<\/p>\n

Around 2 a.m. this morning, Sunday, March 1, 2026, Austin Police (APD) officers responded to an Active Attack in the 700 block of West 6th St. Three people are confirmed to be deceased, including the suspect, and 14 additional people were injured.<\/p>\n

To our community, if you are\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/VAmPyuM1Wd<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Austin Police Department (@Austin_Police) March 1, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n

For the Aggies in town, the danger was closer than many realized. Jake Manzi, a junior financial planning major, recalled the chilling timing of his walk back to his hotel room.<\/p>\n

\u201cI walked past Buford\u2019s, like, probably like an hour before everything transpired,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

While Autrey and Manzi were back at their hotel when the shooting began, the terror was delivered in real-time via text messages from friends still on the street. Autrey\u2019s roommate was at the bar next door to the shooting.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was pretty shaken up,\u201d Autrey said. \u201cHe was texting us as everything was happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

As news spread throughout the hotel, the Texas A&M students filled the hallways, checking in on one another, Autrey said. When he found friends and their dates locked out of their rooms and \u201cbawling their eyes out\u201d in the aftermath, he didn\u2019t hesitate to help. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe invited them into our room… until they figured out how to unlock their door and get situated,\u201d Autrey said.<\/p>\n

The fear didn\u2019t stop in Austin as students scrambled to reach their families. Autrey called his parents at 3 a.m. \u201cI didn\u2019t want y\u2019all to hear about it in the morning and freak out,\u201d Autrey told them. Their reaction was immediate, Autrey said: \u201cThey were terrified… they were very thankful that I called.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"AnAn Austin police officer guards the scene on West 6th Street at West Avenue after a shooting, Sunday March 1, 2026, in Austin, Texas.(Ricardo B. Brazziell | Ricardo B. Brazziell\/Austin American-Statesman via AP)<\/p>\n

As the students returned to College Station on Sunday, the mood was somber.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was weird because it could have been any of us,\u201d Manzi said.<\/p>\n

The tragedy has already sparked conversations about the future of this Aggie tradition. Autrey said there are \u201crumors just about, like, potentially changing it up\u201d regarding the location of future formals for safety reasons.<\/p>\n

For now, the students are left with a new perspective on their weekend getaways.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just kind of reiterates the importance of keeping aware of your surroundings,\u201d Autrey said. \u201cIt just makes you thankful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Copyright 2026 KBTX. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n