SAN ANTONIO, TX – A Texas high school teacher was tragically killed on Tuesday in a random shooting at a San Antonio rooftop bar. Ayden Burt, a 28-year-old English teacher, was participating in the Texas High School Coaches Association Conference when an unexpected bullet struck her.
While at Smoke Skybar on East Crockett Street, Burt was hit by a bullet from an unknown source shortly after midnight. Authorities believe the bullet was fired from nearby Interstate I-37, according to reports. At the time of the incident, Burt was seated on the rooftop patio with her back to the interstate highway.
“She was sitting right next to me laughing and talking and the next [minute] bleeding in my lap,” Robert Murphy, a football coach with Humble High School, stated. In an attempt to save Burt, her colleagues tried performing CPR at the scene. The young teacher was in critical condition by the time she was transported to the hospital, where she was declared dead.
Hailing from a family of educators, Burt has been teaching English at Jasper Junior and Jasper High Schools since 2019. According to John Seybold, Superintendent of Jasper ISD, the young teacher was exceptionally kind-hearted and had already made a profound impact throughout her brief teaching career.
The district announced the availability of grief counseling for students, staff and community members on Tuesday.