Essentials Inside The Story
- Multiple people were struck in a mass shooting in Austin early Sunday morning.
- An MMA fighter has now become the third victim to die from injuries sustained in the attack.
- His promotion remembers him as a “lively, funny” presence and has launched a fundraiser to support his family in the wake of the tragedy.
Three lives were lost on West Sixth Street in Austin early Sunday morning. One of them was a 30-year-old MMA fighter who was weeks away from his professional debut on May 16. Jorge Munoz-Pederson, an amateur light heavyweight from Minnesota who had moved to Austin just two weeks ago, was taken off life support on Monday, officially becoming the third victim in the mass shooting that has left more than a dozen others injured.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
According to the Austin Police Department, Jorge Pederson was among several people shot outside Buford’s Backyard Beer Garden. NBC News confirmed his death, and thereafter, ClockedNLoaded shared the details via an Instagram post.
“30-year-old MMA fighter Jorge Pederson has been identified as the third person who passed away following the mass sh–ting on West 6th Street in Austin early Sunday morning,” the post read. “Pederson was an up-and-coming fighter from Minnesota and was preparing for his professional debut on May 16 with the promotion Ignite Fights… A fundraiser created in his honor has raised more than $8,000 so far.”
Pederson, nicknamed ‘Trap Jorge,’ held a 4-2 amateur record, according to Tapology. But numbers only tell part of the story. Those who trained and promoted him speak about something deeper than a record. His promotions IGNITE remembered him as “a lively, funny and charismatic fighter with a bright future” in a touching post online. Matthew Vogt, co-owner of Med City Fighting Championships from Minnesota, said Pederson stood out from the moment they met.
View this post on Instagram
“You meet tons of fighters, and there are people that stand above the rest, that you find you enjoy or find the most amusing,” Vogt said. “He was definitely one of them. As soon as we met him when it was the weighing time, we just loved the guy already because he had a great mission or spirit about him. He was a funny guy and great fighter.”
Pederson wasn’t only a fighter. He also owned a Minnesota-based business called Metro Movers. Those close to him describe a man balancing ambition with responsibility. Fundraiser organizer Brody Oothoudt wrote that inside the gym, Pederson was a “welcoming, warm and tough presence” who inspired newer fighters to believe their dreams were possible through “hard work and dedication.”
That potential was about to be tested at the next level. His pro debut on May 16 represented a new chapter. For regional fighters grinding through amateur circuits, that first paid walk to the cage matters—it signals growth, it validates years of training. Jorge Pederson was standing at the cusp of that transition before tragedy struck.
The shooting itself remains under investigation. For the MMA community in Minnesota and beyond, the focus now shifts to honoring the lives cut short.
More details emerge about the Austin shooting as the MMA community mourns Jorge Pederson
As authorities work through the details, the scale of what happened early Sunday morning has come into clearer focus. Austin Police confirmed the three people killed outside Buford’s bar as 19-year-old Ryder Harrington, 21-year-old Savitha Shan, and 30-year-old Jorge Pederson. More than a dozen others were injured, with several still reported in critical condition.
Police say officers responded around 2:00 a.m. to reports of an active shooter near West Sixth Street. According to Chief Lisa Davis, a man driving a large SUV slowed near the bar, turned on his hazard lights, and opened fire toward people gathered on the patio and sidewalk. He later exited the vehicle with a rifle before being confronted by officers at a nearby intersection. The suspect, identified as Ndiaga Diagne, was shot and killed by police.
The FBI has stated that it is examining a possible “nexus of terrorism,” among other motives, though no final conclusions have been announced. Officials confirmed the SUV did not contain explosives.
Two of the victims were students, though authorities have not publicly confirmed their university affiliations. For families in Minnesota, Texas, and beyond, the statistics are stark: three lives gone, more than a dozen altered forever in seconds. The focus remains on supporting the families and the survivors navigating the aftermath of an unimaginable tragedy.