Texas Tech student identified as first victim of Austin mass shooting
A GoFundMe page for Ryder Harrington has raised over $60,000 as of Monday afternoon.
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A GoFundMe page for Ryder Harrington has raised over $60,000 as of Monday afternoon.
A college student from Texas Tech University is the first victim to be identified in the mass shooting perpetrated by a suspected terrorist that took place at a bar in Austin on Sunday. Two people were killed in the shooting and several others were injured.
A GoFundMe for Ryder Harrington described the shooting victim as "a beloved son, brother, and friend whose kindness and presence touched countless lives." The GoFundMe was launched by his fraternity to cover the funeral as well as memorial costs for Harrington. The page has raised over $60,000 as of Monday afternoon.
"From the moment he joined our brotherhood, he brought a light that was impossible to ignore. Ryder had a rare ability to truly enjoy life, to make people laugh, to make moments feel bigger, and to make ordinary days unforgettable. If anyone embodied what it meant to live fully and love deeply, it was Ryder. All donations will go directly to the Harrington family to help cover funeral and memorial costs," the fraternity said.
The shooter, identified as Senegalese immigrant-turned-US citizen Ndiaga Diagne, 53, opened fire at around 2 am on Sunday morning as Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden was getting ready to close for the night. Diagne was wearing a "Property of Allah" sweatshirt and possibly pro-Iran regime clothing. Authorities also found a Quran in his vehicle. Photos of the shooter's body were released, showing his shirt with the insignia from the Islamic Republic of Iran flag.
Speaker of the Texas House Dustin Burrows said of Harrington, "Ryder’s passing has hit especially close to home for our Team Burrows family. Ryder was the brother-in-law of one of our own, and our hearts are aching alongside his loved ones. From all accounts, Ryder was exactly the kind of young man who made a difference without even trying—full of life, loyal to his friends, proud to be a Red Raider and a Texan, and someone who showed up for the people around him."
"Elisabeth and I are praying for Avery and Ryan, the entire Harrington family, and everyone who loved Ryder—the number appears to be countless. We ask that you lift them up as well," Burrows added.
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