Savita Shan, a 21-year-old honours student at the University of Texas (UT) at Austin, has been identified as a victim of the recent Austin 6th Street entertainment district shooting.
The attack, which took place around 2 am on Sunday at a bar near the university campus, is being identified as an act of terrorism, Austin Police said.
By Monday evening, the Austin Police Department confirmed that three people — including Shan — had been killed, along with the gunman, who was shot dead by officers.
Fourteen others sustained injuries, several of them in critical condition.
Who Was Savita Shan
Shan was a senior pursuing a dual degree at the University of Texas at Austin. Savita, whose last name has been revealed by the University as Shanmugasundaram, was a standout student on campus.
In a letter to the University, the UT Austin President referred to her as “a child of loving parents. A loyal friend to many. A Longhorn preparing to change the world.”
Shan played an active role in campus activities and was a member of the executive board of the Indian Students Association.
Faculty members described her as academically outstanding and highly career-oriented.
A faculty member remembered her as “one of the superstar students at UT Austin McCombs School of Business.” She was preparing to begin her career at a large professional services firm, Russ Finney, an assistant professor at UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business, wrote on X.
Her LinkedIn bio, apart from highlighting her achievements, mentioned that she had worked as an intern at PwC.
The 6th Street Shooting
The attack took place in a busy nightlife area in downtown Austin. Police said the shooter was Ndiaga Diagne, a 53-year-old US citizen who was originally from Senegal. He opened fire outside a bar and was later shot dead by police.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said investigators found items that pointed to a possible link to terrorism on the suspect and inside his vehicle. Officials said he was wearing a sweatshirt with the words “Property of Allah” written on it. A copy of the Quran was also found in his car.
