Three people have died as a result of the shooting: 19-year-old Ryder Harrington, 21-year-old Savitha Shan and 30-year-old Jorge Pederson.
AUSTIN, Texas — Austin police on Thursday released new details about the deadly mass shooting on West Sixth Street, including new victim information and a revised count of people struck by gunfire.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said officers arrived at the scene within 57 seconds of the first 911 call and immediately began providing first aid to victims outside Buford’s bar on West Sixth Street. Investigators said the suspect drove a black Cadillac SUV when he began firing a semi-automatic pistol at people outside the bar.
The suspect then stopped near West Sixth and Wood streets and began firing an AR-15-style rifle at a pedestrian before walking toward Buford’s.
At 2:03 a.m., officers located the suspect, who fired at them, according to Davis. Officers returned fire and shot and killed the suspect.
Davis said the department had no prior criminal interactions with the suspect. She said a mental health call in New York involving the suspect in 2022 ended with the suspect being given access to mental health resources but not being taken into custody.
Police said Thursday that 18 people were struck by gunfire in the attack, an increase from the previously reported 16 people killed or injured. Two victims, 21-year-old Savitha Shan and 19-year-old Ryder Harrington, were pronounced dead shortly after the shooting. On Monday, March 2, a third victim, 30-year-old Jorge Pederson, who had recently moved to Austin, died at the hospital, Davis said.
Two victims are still hospitalized, with one remaining in critical condition, according to Davis.
During Thursday’s briefing, police played portions of surveillance video, 911 calls, body camera video and radio traffic to illustrate the timeline of the response and the scale of the incident.
On Sunday, FBI Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Alex Doran said the FBI is examining the suspect’s criminal history and background. Doran said federal investigators are examining whether there is a connection to terrorism. Davis did not give an update on if that investigation has determined a motive.
Davis said the guns used in the shooting were obtained legally.
Anyone with any video or photographic evidence of the shooting is asked to submit it to police via the APD website.