A 21-year-old University of Texas business student lost her life in a shooting at an Austin bar, marking her as the second fatality in an attack believed linked to Iran.
Victims Identified Amid Tragedy
Savitha Shan, a management information systems and economics major nearing graduation, died alongside Ryder Harrington, 19, during the early Sunday morning incident at Buford’s on West Sixth Street. Austin Police confirm a third victim faces removal from life support on Monday, with 13 others wounded, three in critical condition.
Shan, who attended Liberal Arts and Science Academy before UT, interned at Staples in Massachusetts for 11 weeks in 2024 and at PricewaterhouseCoopers for three months last year. Her LinkedIn highlighted experience in technology strategy, product management, and business analytics across financial firms and startups.
Active in Raas Rodeo, a group hosting Gujarati folk dance events, Shan’s social media listed visiting the seven wonders of the world as a bucket list goal, with a Range Rover as her dream car. She favored creamy jalapeno at Chuy’s and named Spiderman her top superhero.
UT President Jim Davis notified students and staff via email, stating: “A child of loving parents. A loyal friend to many. A Longhorn preparing to change the world. It is devastating, and I know all of us are grieved by this horrible news and we will remember her.” He added that some injuries remain serious, expressing hope for recovery and prayers for affected families.
Shan’s father, Muthian Shanmugasundaram, directs Stealth Mode Biotech in Boston after 17 years as a senior staff scientist at Thermo Fisher Scientific in Austin.
Tributes Pour in for Ryder Harrington
Harrington, a Texas Tech freshman and Fall 2024 Beta Theta Pi pledge, drew heartfelt mourning from his fraternity: “Ryder had a rare ability to truly enjoy life, to make people laugh, to make moments feel bigger, and to make ordinary days unforgettable.” The chapter called him a “beloved son, brother, and friend” whose energy strengthened bonds.
His brother Reed Harrington shared: “It is unfair, to say the least, that my little brother was only given 19 years on this earth.” In a poignant letter, Reed wrote: “I love you more than you will ever know… Thank you for being the best brother I could ever ask for. I cannot wait to see you again.”
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows noted Harrington as his staffer’s brother-in-law: “Ryder was exactly the kind of young man who made a difference without even trying – full of life, loyal to his friends, proud to be a Red Raider and a Texan.”
Shooting Details and Gunman Identified
The bar teemed with college students, mostly from UT, when Ndiaga Diagne, 53, opened fire just before 2 a.m. Sunday. Witnesses describe a packed venue, shoulder-to-shoulder crowds enjoying the night.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis reports Diagne, a U.S. citizen from Senegal who lived in New York until 2008, fired a handgun and rifle from the street at patio and front patrons without entering. He drove two blocks, exited, and shot at pedestrians before officers killed him as he advanced.
Diagne wore a “Property of Allah” shirt and an Iranian flag T-shirt; a Quran sat in his car. Officials probe ties to foreign terrorism amid his history of mental illness and arrests, including illegal vending in New York in 2001. He naturalized in 2013.
Paramedics arrived 57 seconds after shots rang out. Social media captured chaos: victims screaming, patrons and officers aiding the wounded. Davis called it a “tragic, tragic incident” and commended officers’ bravery.
