Austin Bar Shooting Claims Third Victim: Amateur MMA Fighter Jorge Pederson
A 30-year-old amateur mixed martial arts fighter has been identified as the third fatality in the Austin bar shooting that occurred early Sunday morning. Police confirmed that Jorge Pederson succumbed to his injuries on Monday evening after being removed from life support.
Details of the Attack and Victims
The shooting took place at Buford's bar on West Sixth Street in Austin's Market District just before 2am on Sunday. Witnesses described the venue as packed with college students, many from the University of Texas, enjoying their weekend. The gunman, identified as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, opened fire from the street using both a handgun and a rifle, never actually entering the establishment.
Pederson, known by the nickname 'Trap Jorge,' was among approximately a dozen revelers who were shot during the attack. His first professional MMA fight had been scheduled for May 16, as he had posted on Instagram just last week. According to his Tapology profile, he fought out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, though recent social media photos showed him training at an Austin gym.
The two other victims have been identified as 21-year-old Savitha Shan, a University of Texas student majoring in management information systems and economics who was months from graduation, and 19-year-old Ryder Harrington, a member of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity's Fall 2024 pledge class at Texas Tech University.
The Gunman and Investigation
Ndiaga Diagne, a naturalized U.S. citizen who immigrated from Senegal and previously lived in New York City from 2000 to 2008, was wearing clothing that indicated possible ideological motivations. He had on a shirt reading 'Property of Allah' and an undershirt featuring the Iranian flag. A Quran was later discovered in his vehicle.
After initially shooting at patrons on the bar's patio and in front of the building, Diagne drove approximately two blocks before exiting his car and firing at pedestrians. Responding officers encountered him approaching them and opened fire, killing him at the scene.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis described the incident as a 'tragic, tragic incident' and praised the bravery of officers who confronted an armed individual. Paramedics arrived on the scene just 57 seconds after the shooting began, providing rapid medical assistance to the wounded.
Background and Ongoing Investigation
Diagne had a documented history of mental illness and multiple arrests in Texas since relocating from New York. His criminal record dates back to 2001 with an arrest for illegal vending in NYC, yet he became a naturalized citizen in April 2013.
Federal authorities, including the National Counterterrorism Center, FBI, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, have joined local police in investigating whether the shooting has connections to foreign terrorism. Officials have stated it is too early to definitively determine the motive behind the attack.
The shooting occurred on Sixth Street, a popular nightlife destination filled with bars and music venues near the University of Texas flagship campus, which enrolls approximately 55,000 students. University President Jim Davis acknowledged that some of those affected were 'members of our Longhorn family.'
Two additional victims remain in critical condition as the community mourns the three lives lost in this violent incident that has shaken Austin's entertainment district.
