UT student among four killed, 13 injured in early-morning shooting on Sixth Street

March 3, 2026

Austin police confirmed Monday that a shooting at Buford's bar on Sixth Street in downtown Austin around 2 a.m. Sunday left four people dead and 13 others hurt. Officers identified the suspected shooter as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne; police say the suspect is among those who died.

City investigators and federal agents are examining the scene and the motive behind the attack. Police Chief Lisa Davis said two victims remain in critical condition, and APD is working with federal officials on the inquiry. The FBI's acting special agent in charge, Alex Doran, described the incident as a possible act of terrorism as the investigation continues.

Among the dead is a University of Texas senior, school officials confirmed in an email to the campus community, and the student’s family has asked for privacy. The university president offered condolences and described the student as a devoted friend and committed Longhorn. Another person identified as a victim was Ryder Harrington, a student at Texas Tech University.

One additional victim was removed from life support and later died, police said. That death brought the confirmed fatality count to four, which includes the suspected shooter. Thirteen other people were taken to area hospitals with a range of injuries.

UT student Lauren Braxton, a mathematics junior, was among those injured at the bar. Braxton said she was grazed in the forehead and that a friend was shot in the leg; she hid in a bathroom until emergency crews arrived. She spent several hours in the hospital and is now home, awaiting surgery to remove a piece of shrapnel from her eye.

The university announced increased patrols by UT Police across campus and in West Campus neighborhoods. Administrators asked professors to offer flexibility to students affected by the shooting, and student groups scheduled vigils on the South Mall Lawn and elsewhere later in the week.

Community blood center We Are Blood urged residents to donate to meet transfusion needs for the wounded, and the campus Counseling and Mental Health Center extended services, offering support groups and a 24/7 crisis line at 512-471-2255. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and expected to involve additional interviews and evidence processing.