UT Austin students hold campus candlelight vigil after West 6th Street shooting killed three people

A campus gathering follows a deadly downtown attack

University of Texas at Austin students gathered Wednesday, March 4, for a candlelight vigil on the Main Mall near the UT Tower to honor victims of the West Sixth Street mass shooting that unfolded early Sunday morning, March 1. The vigil, organized for the campus community, became a focal point for remembrance as the city and university continued to respond to the aftermath of one of the most consequential violent incidents in Austin’s entertainment district in recent years.

What happened on West Sixth Street

The shooting occurred outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden near West Sixth and Rio Grande streets shortly before 2 a.m. on March 1. Austin Police have said multiple people were struck by gunfire and officers confronted the suspected shooter a short time later. The suspect was killed during that confrontation.

Authorities reported three people died in connection with the attack, including the suspected shooter, and 14 others were injured and hospitalized. Investigators have said the inquiry involves both local and federal law enforcement, and officials have characterized the case as a complex investigation that includes an officer-involved shooting component.

Victims and impact on the UT community

UT Austin leadership confirmed that at least one UT student was killed and that additional UT students were among those injured. The deceased student was identified as Savitha Shan, a 21-year-old enrolled at the McCombs School of Business. Public tributes from the university community described her as an accomplished student engaged in campus life and nearing graduation this spring.

The vigil on campus reflected both grief and the practical reality that a significant portion of West Sixth Street’s nightlife crowd overlaps with the university population—students, recent graduates, and visitors concentrated in a dense corridor of bars and restaurants.

How Austin is organizing support services

In the days after the shooting, the City of Austin announced the mobilization of a Victim Assistance Center to support those impacted, including victims, witnesses, and families. The center was scheduled to operate Tuesday and Wednesday with services described as spanning crisis counseling, mental-health coordination, and guidance on financial assistance related to crime impacts.

• Victim assistance services were made available through city emergency management and victim services partners.

• State and federal resources were also publicized to help survivors and families navigate recovery needs.

What comes next

Investigators have continued collecting evidence and witness accounts while officials have urged the public to use victim services channels for information about loved ones and support options. On campus, university services remained available for students seeking counseling and academic support as the community processed the shooting and the vigil concluded with a call for continued care for those directly affected.

The campus vigil was held as Austin’s broader response expanded from emergency care to longer-term victim support and investigative follow-through.