Early on March 1, 2026 a shooting in Austin’s iconic 6th Street bar district injured 14 people and killed three people.
One of the dead was Texas Tech student Ryder Harrington.
Ryder, 19, was a member of Beta Theta Pi, who confirmed his death via social media on Sunday.
“Ryder was a beloved son, brother, and friend whose kindness and presence touched countless lives. From the moment he joined our brotherhood, he brought a light that was impossible to ignore,” reads the post “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.”
Harrington was one of four siblings. Ryder’s brother, Reed, also confirmed his brother’s death on social media, saying Ryder was the best mix of all the siblings.
“He had the wit of Ryan, the heart of Reagan, and the stubbornness of myself,” read Reed’s post. “Watching the man he had become, and seeing all the lives he touched, leaves me certain that this world was robbed of a great future.”
Reed went on to say that he doesn’t think life will ever be normal again with his brother gone — a sentiment his sister also expressed.
Reagan Harrington called Ryder her best friend and said she had no words to describe the loss in a social media post.
“You were the kindest, funniest, and most important person in my life,” read her post. “To know you was to love you — I’ve truly never met someone so loved in my entire life.”
Ryder’s death is also drawing attention from a Texas state leader — Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock — who also had a close connection to Ryder.
“Ryder was the brother-in-law of one of our own, and our hearts are aching alongside his loved ones,” Burrows said in a social media post. “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.”
Burrows said he and his wife are praying for Ryder’s family and all those impacted by the shooting.
Having gone to Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, a former university leader is also expressing his condolences online.
“Ryder Harrington was murdered in Austin by a terrorist. Ryder was an outstanding young man,” Kent Hance, chancellor emeritus for Texas Tech University System. “I’ve talked to several people who knew him and everyone had nothing but praise for him and his character.”
A GoFundMe has been set up to support the family of Ryder Harrington.
What are the current updates on the Austin 6th Street shooting?
Gunfire broke out outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden, a popular bar in the West 6th Street stretch of Austin.
Austin police responded to the shooting at around 2 a.m. local time and fatally shot the suspect.
Two people were found dead at the scene, and 14 others were injured in the attack, with three remaining in critical condition as of Monday afternoon.
Who was the Austin 6th Street shooter suspect?
Austin police have identified the shooter as Ndiaga Diagne, 53.
Law enforcement officials said he had a history of mental health conditions, according to an internal update from the National Counterterrorism Center reviewed by Reuters.
USA TODAY has reached out to the National Counterterrorism Center, the FBI and the Austin Police Department for comment.
This story was contributed by USA TODAY reporters N’dea Yancey-Bragg and James Powel.
Mateo Rosiles is a reporter for the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal and USA TODAY Network in Texas. Got a news tip for him? Email him: mrosiles@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Texas Tech student Ryder Harrington killed in Austin mass shooting
Reporting by Mateo Rosiles, Lubbock Avalanche-Journal / Lubbock Avalanche-Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
