Newly released police body camera footage has unveiled the terrifying and chaotic moments during a mass shooting outside a Texas bar, which left three people dead and more than a dozen others wounded. The videos, made public on Thursday, show bargoers and pedestrians frantically fleeing and ducking for cover as gunfire erupted in downtown Austin's entertainment district early Sunday morning.
Chaos Captured on Camera
The footage, recorded by officers and surveillance cameras, captures the rapid unfolding of the shooting incident. "Everybody down!" one officer is heard yelling in the video, while another urgently asks, "Where is he?" The scenes depict a night of horror as the gunman began firing outside Buford's Backyard Beer Garden, a popular venue on Sixth Street near the University of Texas at Austin.
Police Response and Investigation
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed that officers arrived at the scene within 56 seconds of the first 911 call. They shot and killed the suspect after he fired at police. Chief Davis stated that the investigation is ongoing and declined to discuss a possible motive for the shooting, which occurred a day after the U.S. and Israel launched an attack on Iran.
The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism. A law enforcement official revealed to The Associated Press that the gunman was wearing clothes with an Iranian flag design and bearing the words "Property of Allah." Police have identified the gunman as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, who legally purchased the pistol and rifle used in the attack.
Victims and Aftermath
Authorities now confirm that 19 people were hit by gunfire, including the three fatalities. One person remains in critical condition. Most victims were outside the bar, with one individual waiting for a ride when shot. A released 911 call includes screaming and shouts of "get down," with a caller urgently stating, "There has been a shooting at Buford's. There are people dead over here. We need help right now."
The victims have been identified as:
- Jorge Pederson, 30: An aspiring mixed martial arts fighter who had recently moved to Texas from Minnesota. His former gym described him as bringing "light and joy into the grueling work of training."
- Savitha Shan, 21: A business student at the University of Texas at Austin, with a job waiting at a consulting firm. Her family called her death "profoundly unfair."
- Ryder Harrington, 19: A former Texas Tech University student, remembered by his fraternity brothers for his ability to "make ordinary days unforgettable."
Gunman's Background and Actions
Diagne was not previously on the radar of authorities before the shooting. Investigators found he was the subject of a mental health-related welfare check, possibly in 2022, by an agency elsewhere. According to police, he fired the first shots from his SUV, then parked and emerged with a rifle, shooting another person before officers rushed to the intersection and killed him.
The incident has sparked a thorough investigation into potential terrorism links, with law enforcement agencies working to piece together the motives behind this tragic attack that has shaken the Austin community.
