Breaking Update: Here’s a clear explanation of the latest developments related to Breaking News:Indian-American student killed in Austin mass shooting being probed as potential act of ‘terrorism’– What Just Happened and why it matters right now.
An Indian-American student was among the those killed in a mass shooting at Buford’s on West Sixth Street in Austin, Texas, in the United States, on Sunday. The Austin Police Department identified the Indian-American victim as 21-year-old Savitha Shan, and the other as 19-year-old Ryder Harrington.
The shooter involved in the deadly attack that is reportedly being investigated as an act of terrorism was also eventually gunned down by the police. While the Austin Police Department has identified only two victims, several reports said three people were killed and more than a dozen others were injured in the shooting.
The shooter, identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, opened fire on a crowded bar in Austin on Sunday. The suspect’s clothes had an Iranian flag design and the words “Property of Allah,” according to a report by news agency Associated Press.
The shooting and the now-dead shooter’s suspected links to Iran surface amid a fresh flare-up between the US and Iran following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei over the weekend.
University professor mourns Indian-American
Russ Finney, Assistant Professor at the McCombs School of Business, reportedly expressed sorrow over the killing of Savitha Shan in the Austin shooting. Referring to her as “one of the superstar students” at the university, Finney said she had a double major with honours and was set to graduate in May this year.
“Involved in student organizations – a light in the classroom. Absolutely crushing to lose her,” Finney wrote, as he remembered Savitha.
Reacting to the Austin Police Department’s tweet on the mass shooting, the professor said that the area where the incident took place was considered safe by students. “Other students are still in the hospital in very serious conditions – this is a very tough week for our community, the families, and #ATX in general. Thanks for releasing this information,” he wrote.
What happened at Austin bar?
Austin’s busy nightlife was rocked by a deadly shooting on Sunday after an open firing at a crowded bar. According to AP, the gunman drove past Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden before circling back and firing the first shots from his SUV at people on the sidewalk and inside the bar.
Several college students were present at the scene as the bar was located on the Sixth Street, near the flagship campus of the University of Texas system. Nathan Comeaux, a 22-year-old senior, spent the evening there with friends and said the bar was “full of college students, probably mostly UT kids, shoulder to shoulder, hundreds just enjoying their nights.”
They were seen ducking for cover as the suspect fired shots. While the suspect was killed and his identity has been known, the motive behind the shooting is yet to be ascertained.