One of the two victims of a shooting in Austin early Sunday morning has been identified as a Texas Tech University student, according to social media posts from his family and local politicians.
Ryder Harrington, 19, was killed in a shooting outside a popular beer garden in downtown Austin that left 14 others injured. The suspect, who was shot and killed by police, had a history of mental illness, sources familiar with the investigation told NBC News.
“Ryder was the best member of the Harrington staff,” his brother, Reed Harrington, wrote on Facebook in a post confirming his death. He said the whole family is grateful for the words of condolence they have received.
Authorities have not publicly identified the other victims and are still trying to determine a motive for the shooting, including whether it was an act of terrorism. The Austin Police Department is scheduled to hold a press conference this afternoon.
“It is unfair, to say the least, that my little brother was only given 19 years on this earth,” wrote Reed Harrington. Looking at the man he had become, and seeing all his life touches, makes me sure that this country did not have a good future.”
The brother added, “I don’t think life will ever be normal again, I don’t know what to do, but I know you will always be there to guide me and be my mentor.”
Harrington’s sister, Reagan Harrington, called him her “best friend” in an Instagram tribute, adding, “I can’t believe you’re not here with me right now.”
“Nothing is enough to express how special you are to me,” wrote Reagan Harrington. “I’m not sure how we’re meant to deal with this – all I can think about is seeing it again.”
Ryan Harrington, the fourth sibling, also posted about Harrington’s death on Instagram.
“I will miss my brother,” Ryan Harrington wrote.
Harrington’s death was also confirmed by his sorority, Beta Theta Pi. According to the chapter’s Instagram post, Harrington was part of the Fall 2024 pledge class.
“From the moment he joined our fraternity, he brought a light that was impossible to ignore,” the Beta Theta Pi post read. “Ryder had a rare ability to truly enjoy life to make people laugh, make moments feel bigger, and make ordinary days memorable.”
Beta Theta Pi will host a candlelight vigil in honor of their brother Monday at 8 p.m., the post said. The chapter also started a GoFundMe to support Harrington’s family.
Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows posted about Harrington’s passing on X and said the young man is the brother-in-law of one of his party members.
“From all accounts, Ryder was the kind of guy 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 those around him,” Burrows wrote.
He added that he is praying for the Harrington family and “all those who loved Ryder – the number seems incalculable.”
Two people died in a shooting incident on Sunday
Harrington was one of two victims killed in a shooting Sunday morning outside Buford’s, a popular beer garden in downtown Austin. The other victim has not been identified.
Of the 14 injured, three were taken to the hospital in critical condition, said Robert Luckritz, the state emergency chief. Their conditions were not available as of Monday.
The shooter was identified as Ndiaga Diagne, 53. Police shot and killed him shortly after the attack, police said.
Diagne was a Senegalese and naturalized U.S. citizen living in Pflugerville, Texas, four law enforcement officials told NBC News. At the time of the shooting, he was wearing a shirt that read “Property of Allah,” and an Iranian flag-themed shirt underneath.
Diagne appeared to be working alone and not in conflict with the government, according to sources who emphasized that the investigation is in the early stages.
A Homeland Security official told NBC News that Diagne first entered the US on March 13, 2000, on a B-2 tourist visa. He became a legal citizen in 2006 based on marriage to a US citizen and a legal citizen in 2013, the official said. He was arrested in 2022 in Texas for hit-and-run damage to a vehicle, the official said.
On Sunday, Alex Doran, a special agent in the San Antonio FBI office, said, “There were indications that in the story and in his car that indicated a possible connection with terrorism,” but noted that “it is too early to make a decision on that.”
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said at a news conference Sunday that Diagne may have pulled Buford around in her car before rolling down her window and striking passengers on the front porch of the bar with a gun.
He then parked the car, got out with a gun, and shot passersby, Davis said. Police encountered the man on West Sixth Street, where they shot him.
Buford is 2 miles from the heart of the University of Texas at Austin campus and less than a mile from the Texas Capitol Building.
Other Texas officials offered their prayers and condolences for the victims, including Gov. Greg Abbott, who warned anyone who is “thinking about using the current conflict in the Middle East to intimidate Texans.”
He appeared to be talking about the joint operation of the American and Israeli government forces against Iran, which killed the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
