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Savitha Shanmugasundaram, a 21-year-old Indian-origin student at the University of Texas, was among three people killed in a mass shooting in Austin on Sunday. The attack occurred on West Sixth Street. The suspected gunman was shot dead, taking the total number of fatalities to four. The FBI is probing the incident as a potential terror attack, and the agency is speculating that the shooting might be related to the ongoing conflict in Iran, reported the press agency, the Associated Press (AP).
Shanmugasundarma, who was set to graduate in May with dual degrees in Management Information System and Economics, died after a gunman opened fire outside Buford's Barm, a popular spot near the University of Texas. According to The Texas Tribune, at least14 people were injured, some of whom remain in a critical state.
Members of the University of Texas community described Shanmugasundaram as being a bright and hardworking student who was deeply involved in campus life. Russ Finney, an assistant professor at the McCombs School of Business, wrote on X that Shanmugasundaram was "one of our superstar students" and said it was "absolutely crushing to lose her". Finney noted that she was preparing to begin her career at a major professional services firm after graduation.
One of Shanmugasundaram's friends, who requested anonymity, told the US news outlet, KXAN, that she was still in disbelief over what happened.
"I kinda (sic) was in denial of what had happened, and then not long after I heard the news that she passed, and it was honestly really devastating," said Shanmugasundaram's friend. "She was one of the most down-to-earth friendly, like one of the most friendliest people," the friend added.
In a letter to the campus on Monday, University of Texas President, Jim Davis, condoled Shanmugasundram's passing, writing, "She was a child of loving parents. A loyal friend to many. A Longhorn preparing to change the world. It is devastating, and I know all of us are grieved by this horrible news, and we will remember her," reported KXAN.
IRAN LINK TO TEXAS SHOOTING THAT KILLED INDIAN-ORIGIN STUDENT?
The shooting occurred outside the bar in Austin. Aside from Shanmugasundram, the two other victims were identified as Ryder Harrington and Jorge Pederson.
According to CBS News, authorities identified the shooter as Ndiga Diagne, a 53-year-old naturalised American citizen who was born in the Senegal. AP reported that Diagne entered the US in 2000 on a tourist visa, citing the Department of Homeland Security. He then became a lawful permanent resident in 2006 through a marriage to a US citizen before becoming a naturalised citizen in 2013.
The motive of the suspected gunman is still unclear. However, Alex Doran, acting special agent in charge of FBI San Antonio, was quoted as saying by AP that there were "indicators" of a "potential nexus to terrorism".
IRANIAN FLAG FOUND AT TEXAS SHOOTER'S HOME
One official told CBS News that officers who searched the gunman's home found an Iranian flag and pictures of Iranian leaders. During the shooting, Diagne wore a sweatshirt with "Property of Allah" written across the front and a shirt with an Iranian flag design, according to AP and CBS news.
He added that the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force, as well as its other special teams are involved in the investigation. "It's still too early to make a determination on that," said Alex Doran. He also stated that, "In terms of specifically what type of terrorism, we're just at this point prepared to say that it was potentially an act of terrorism".
The incident comes after US President Donald Trump authorised military operations against Iran in the form of missile and air strikes which killed Iran's supreme leader, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and set the Middle East ablaze. Tehran is retaliating to the joint strikes by US-Israel by targeting 11 Gulf countries in the region.
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Published By:
Shounak Sanyal
Published On:
Mar 3, 2026 15:44 IST
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