A Minnesota-based mixed martial arts fighter has been named as the third victim to die in the mass shooting at an Austin bar, which is being investigated as a potential act of terrorism in retaliation for US airstrikes in Iran. Jorge Pederson, 30, had been on life support after the attack, which left more than a dozen others wounded and ended with officers fatally shooting the gunman.
Pederson's death was announced by the Austin police department on Monday evening. He had been scheduled to make his professional MMA debut on 16 May, according to the promoter Ignite Fights. The two other victims slain in the shooting at Buford's bar in downtown Austin on Sunday were identified as Ryder Harrington, 19, and Savitha Shan, 21.
The gunman was named as Ndiaga Diagne, 53, a Senegalese national and naturalised US citizen. He was reportedly wearing a T-shirt with an Iranian flag design under his hoodie. Authorities are investigating his motives and possible links to extremist groups, though he appeared to have been acting alone.
The attack occurred as US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale strikes across Iran, including one that killed the country's supreme leader. Iran has retaliated with missile attacks. The FBI said there were indicators of a potential terrorism nexus, but it was too early to make a determination.
The owner of Buford's, Bob Woody, praised the swift intervention of law enforcement, who reached the scene 57 seconds after the first emergency call. He said his staff was receiving grief counselling, and FBI agents had been investigating the scene.
