Three people have been killed and another 14 injured in a mass shooting that took place in a busy bar in downtown Austin early on Sunday morning. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is reportedly investigating the attack.
Videos by Wide Open Country
The incident took place at Buford's Backyard Beer Garden, close to the University of Texas, at around 2:00 am local time.
"We had a total of 17 patients on the scene. 14 of those were transported to the hospital. Three were pronounced dead on scene," a police official said in a statement at the scene. "Of the 14 patients who were transported to the hospital, three were in critical condition. And as I said, our condolences go out to everyone that was involved. We'll be back with more information in the future."
The mayor of Austin, Kirk Watson, was also present for the statement. He praised the speedy nature of the police response, which is said to have taken 57 seconds for officers to be on the scene. The reason those officers arrived so quickly is that three of them were patrolling the entertainment district at the time of the shooting.
"Our hearts go out to the people who are victims of this. Um, and. I want to again reiterate my thanks to our public safety officers and officials that so rapidly were on the scene. They definitely saved lives. And as I've indicated, what we will do is during the course of the day, we will inform you about when we will provide additional briefings."
The unidentified shooter was reportedly killed at the scene as officers returned fire.
Buford's Backyard Beer Garden, Situated in Austin, Texas, Had Been Enjoying a Busy Night
Hours before the shooting occurred, Buford's Backyard Beer Garden had been sharing videos from the packed bar on its Instagram story. The videos showed a packed bar. Everyone in attendance appeared to be having a good night. Buford's has a 700-person capacity and is among the larger nightlife bars in the entertainment district.
No more details on the shooting have been released. The investigation is still in the early stages. As such, more details will likely emerge in the coming days and weeks. Our thoughts and prayers go out to those killed and injured in the horrific events.
