AUSTIN, Texas — In the early hours of Sunday, March 1, 2026, the lively buzz of West Sixth Street turned into scenes of terror when gunfire erupted outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden, one of the city’s most popular night spots. Twenty‑one‑year‑old University of Texas student Savitha Shan was among those killed in what police are now calling a mass shooting that left 14 others wounded and a suspect dead.
Shan was on Sixth Street with friends just before 2 a.m. when a gunman began firing from a large SUV parked nearby. Witnesses described chaotic moments as people ran for cover, with some struck in the initial barrage. Shan was pronounced dead at the scene, her bright future cut abruptly short. In the wake of her death, classmates and professors remember her as driven and full of promise, a young woman deeply connected to her community.
Police say the shooter, later identified as 53‑year‑old Ndiaga Diagne, circled the block several times before stopping and opening fire on patrons on the bar’s patio. He fired first from inside his vehicle and then walked down Sixth Street firing a rifle at bystanders. Officers stationed nearby responded within minutes and shot Diagne at an intersection, ending the attack.
Among the wounded were students from UT Austin and other universities. Some injured remain in critical condition while others have been treated and released. Emergency crews worked swiftly, with paramedics arriving at the scene in under a minute after the first emergency calls. Friends and strangers alike rushed to help those struck, turning cellphones and jackets into makeshift shields and tourniquets.
The FBI has joined the investigation, with officials saying there are “indicators” that the shooting may have been driven by more than random violence. Agents and local police are combing through evidence from the scene and the suspect’s vehicle as they seek a clearer understanding of the motive. So far, no direct links to organized groups have been confirmed.
Shan’s family released a brief statement through a friend, saying they are grieving deeply and asking for privacy. On campus, fellow students have gathered in vigils, leaving flowers and notes outside the student union. Counseling services have been made available to anyone affected by the tragedy as the city tries to process what happened on a night meant for celebration.
City leaders praised first responders for their rapid action and urged the community to support one another. “This city will grieve together, and we will heal together,” a local official said during a Monday morning prayer vigil, reflecting a city still coming to terms with sudden loss.
