(WXYZ) — The family of a Michigan man killed in Austin, Texas, over the weekend after a mass shooting released a statement saying he motivated everyone he came in contact with and was a team player.
Michigan State and U of M Dearborn, the two schools Douglas Kantor, 25, attended, say he will be missed and was a bright student.
Kantor had his whole life ahead of him. He worked for the Ford Motor Company and was looking forward to marrying his high school sweetheart.
Kantor was one of 14 people shot early Saturday morning in Austin, Texas. Kantor was there visiting friends and was waiting to get inside a bar when shots were fired.
"We turned around and saw the chaos ensuing below us," said one witness. "We realized it was actually gunshots, and I just recall seeing bodies on the floor, officers running with their guns drawn, people running and fleeing the scene."
Kantor was originally from New York but was living in Michigan and working as a product manager at Ford.
“In the fall of 2017, he finished up his senior year on a computer science capstone team that helped create the Ford smart park mobile application. He will be missed by all Spartan engineers,” said part of a statement from Michigan State University.
Two people have now been arrested for the shooting. One is a juvenile, the second is a 17-year-old. Austin Police haven’t released a possible motive or what started the gunfire.
Kantor recently got his master's degree from U of M Dearborn. The chancellor released a statement saying, in part, “Doug was a talented young professional and had a promising future in front of him. This is a sad day for UM-Dearborn.”
"He had so much living to do and my heart and my love goes out to his family and his brother's parents and his friend,"says Karen Daniels, a former neighbor from New York.
“He motivates everyone he came in contact with, was a team player and advanced quickly in the IT department at Ford working as a product manager," said Doug's brother Nick in a statement. "He was looking forward to marrying his high school sweetheart of 10 years and starting a family. He was loved by his family, friends, and everyone who met him. This senseless tragedy has put an end to all his dreams.”
Officials say the two suspects could face charges of murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault.
