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Who was Savitha Shan? Texas professor mourns Indian-origin student killed in Austin shooting: 'Our superstar student'
Russ Finney, Assistant Professor at the McCombs School of Business, remembered Savitha Shan as one of the institution’s brightest students.
An Indian-origin student was among the two people killed in a mass shooting outside a popular bar in Austin, Texas, early Sunday morning. The Austin Police Department confirmed that 21-year-old Savitha Shan died after a gunman opened fire outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden, located near the intersection of West Sixth Street and Rio Grande Street, just miles from the campus of The University of Texas at Austin.
Russ Finney, Assistant Professor at the McCombs School of Business, remembered Savitha as one of the institution’s brightest students. “Savitha was one of our superstar students at the UT Austin McCombs school of business - she was set to graduate this May, and then she was on to start her career at a big professional services firm. She was a double major with honors. Involved in student organizations - a light in the classroom. Absolutely crushing to lose her,” Finney wrote in a post on X.
He added that the location on 6th Street was considered safe by students and expressed deep sorrow over the incident. “Really no words to express the wave of sadness rolling over @UTexasMcCombs and @UTAustin. Other students are still in the hospital in very serious conditions - this is a very tough week for our community, the families, and #ATX in general,” he said.
(Also Read: Indian-American student killed in Austin mass shooting being probed as potential act of ‘terrorism’)
Who was Savitha Shan?
According to her LinkedIn profile, Savitha was a dual-degree student at The University of Texas at Austin. She was pursuing the Bachelor of Arts - BA, Economics degree at the university.
In her bio, she described herself as someone who blended “a strong foundation in Management Information Systems and Economics with a passion for using technology to solve complex business problems.”
“With hands-on experience in technology strategy consulting, product management, and business analytics, I’ve had the opportunity to work with organizations ranging from global financial institutions to early-stage startups,” she wrote.
Savitha said she thrived in cross-functional teams and enjoyed translating data into meaningful insights to drive strategic decisions. “Whether it’s designing dashboards, streamlining project workflows, or launching user-centric products, I’m driven by a curiosity for innovation and a commitment to impactful execution,” she added.
She was set to graduate in May and had secured a job at a major professional services firm, according to her professor.
(Also Read: Austin shooting suspect's motive revealed; Iran, Khamenei link emerges after bombshell evidence found)
Austin shooting
The other victim in the shooting was 19-year-old Ryder Harrington, a student at Texas Tech University in Lubbock from fall 2024 to fall 2025.
His brother, Reed Harrington, shared a heartfelt message on Facebook. “It is unfair, to say the least, that my little brother was only given 19 years on this earth,” he wrote. “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,” he added.
Authorities identified the gunman as 53-year-old Ndiaga Diagne, who was shot dead by police officers responding to the scene. Police said Diagne opened fire at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden around 2 am on Sunday.
Two people were killed and 14 others injured in the attack. Several victims remain in the hospital in serious condition. The attack is being investigated as an act of terrorism.
