Police kill gunman after 17 injured in Austin bar shooting on Sixth Street

Three people were killed and 14 injured in a shooting at a busy bar in Austin, Texas, early Sunday morning, authorities said.

The There was a shooting before 2 a.m. at Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden on West Sixth Street, a packed entertainment district downtown.

When officers arrived, they encountered an armed male suspect. Three officers opened fire and the suspect died.

Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Lukritz noted how quickly first responders arrived on the scene.

Three people were killed and 14 wounded when a gunman opened fire at a crowded Austin bar early Sunday, police said. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

“We got a call at 1:39 a.m. and within 57 seconds, the first was the paramedics and officers were actively treating patients at the scene,” Lukritz said.

City officials, including Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, praised the quick police and EMS response, saying it “definitely saved lives.”

Luckritz said three of the injured are in critical condition and have been taken to local hospitals.

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Officers shot and killed a suspected gunman after responding to reports of gunfire on West Sixth Street in downtown Austin. (Ricardo B. Brazile/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

The shooting comes amid ongoing safety concerns along Austin’s Sixth Street entertainment strip, which has seen several violent incidents in recent years as police and business owners work to improve crowd-control measures. according to local KVUE.

“Every weekend there’s chaos in front of that bar, okay? It’s nothing new,” Hugo Mendez, owner of Blindside Tattoo and Blindside Lounge, told the outlet. “It’s not necessarily Sixth Street. It’s just certain bars … that don’t follow the standard.”

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Austin-Travis County EMS said three victims were killed and three others were in critical condition after the bar shooting. (Ricardo B. Brazile/Austin American-Statesman via AP)

Authorities have set up a Victim Services Unit hotline for families seeking information.

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The investigation remains active. Officials said more details were expected later Sunday.

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