Austin 6th Street Tragedy: Third Victim Identified as Community Mourns

Austin authorities have confirmed that a third victim has died following the mass shooting that occurred early Sunday morning on West 6th Street.

The victim has been identified as Jorge Pederson, 30, who had recently relocated to Austin from Minnesota.

According to friends and associates, Pederson was a small business owner and an amateur mixed martial arts fighter who was preparing to make his professional MMA debut.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis stated earlier that Pederson had been hospitalized in critical condition and was being removed from life support due to the severity of his injuries. He later succumbed.

Pederson’s death brings the total number of fatalities in the shooting to three.

The other victims were previously identified as Savitha Shan, 21, and Ryder Harrington, 19.

Savitha Shan grew up in Austin and was enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin, where she was pursuing a dual-degree program.

University officials described her as a dedicated student with a promising academic future.

Ryder Harrington was a student at Texas Tech University and a member of the Fall 2024 pledge class of Beta Theta Pi.

The fraternity released a statement expressing grief over his death and offering condolences to his family.

The suspect in the shooting was identified by the Austin Police Department as Ndiaga Diagne, 53.

Police confirmed that Diagne was shot and killed by officers at the scene after the attack. No additional suspects have been named.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the investigation remains active and is being conducted in coordination with federal authorities, including the FBI.

Acting Special Agent in Charge Alex Dorn of the FBI’s San Antonio Field Office previously stated that investigators are examining potential motives, including whether there is any nexus to terrorism, though officials have emphasized that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions.

Emergency response officials reported that a total of 17 people were treated at the scene, with 14 transported to area hospitals.

Several survivors remain hospitalized, including individuals previously listed in critical condition.

The shooting has deeply shaken Austin’s downtown community, particularly the popular entertainment district along West 6th Street.

Authorities continue to review surveillance footage, ballistic evidence and witness statements as they work to determine the full circumstances surrounding the attack.

City leaders have urged the public to allow the investigation to proceed while offering support to the families of Jorge Pederson, Savitha Shan and Ryder Harrington, whose deaths have left communities in Minnesota, Austin and Texas Tech University mourning.