Texas college student identified among victims in Austin bar shooting probed as possible terror attack

A Texas college student was identified as one of the victims gunned down by a suspected terrorist at a popular bar over the weekend. 

Ryder Harrington, a student at Texas Tech University, was killed by gunfire at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden in Austin on Sunday morning, according to a GoFundMe page created by his fraternity, Beta Theta Pi. 

“Ryder was a beloved son, brother, and friend whose kindness and presence touched countless lives,” the tribute said. “From the moment he joined our brotherhood, he brought a light that was impossible to ignore.”

Harrington and one additional victim were killed and 14 others injured after Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen born in Senegal who lived in Pflugerville, Texas, opened fire on the popular nightlife hub near the University of Texas at Austin just after 2 a.m. Sunday.

According to Police Chief Lisa Davis, the gunman “put his flashers on, rolled down his window and began using a pistol shooting out of his car windows, striking patrons of the bar that were on the patio and that were in front of the bar.” 

From there, the gunman drove westbound on Sixth Street to Wood Street, parked his vehicle and exited holding a rifle while continuing to shoot at pedestrians. He never entered the bar. 

The gunman was then shot and killed by police at the scene. 

The FBI has since revealed the shooting was a possible act of terrorism.

“Obviously, it’s still way too early in the process to determine an exact motivation, but there were indicators on the subject and in his vehicle that indicate potential nexus to terrorism,” Alex Dorn, acting special agent in charge of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office, said at a press conference Sunday.

“Again, it’s still too early to make a determination on that. That’s why we are investigating it very closely with our partners with Austin police department,” Dorn added.

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Dorn also said the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force has been deployed to aid in the investigation. 

“We’re just at this point prepared to say that it was potentially an act of terrorism,” he said.

As the investigation unfolds, Harrington’s loved ones continue to mourn the loss of the college student and fraternity member. 

Texas House of Representatives Speaker Dustin Burrows penned an emotional statement to social media, revealing Harrington was the brother-in-law of a member of his political team. 

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“From all accounts, 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, and someone who showed up for the people around him,” Burrows wrote. 

Additionally, Chancellor Emeritus of the Texas Tech University System and former Texas senator Kent Hance also condemned the violent act and offered his condolences. 

“Ryder Harrington was murdered in Austin by a terrorist,” Hance posted to X. “Ryder was an outstanding young man. I’ve talked to several people who knew him and everyone had nothing but praise for him and his character.”

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Texas Tech University did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. 

“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 tribute added. “If anyone embodied what it meant to live fully and love deeply, it was Ryder.”

Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion contributed to this report. 

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