A 22-year-old man from Austin died early Friday after being beaten by a crowd while visiting the Greek island of Zakynthos, according to his family.
Bakari Jaward Henderson was in Greece working on a photo shoot to launch his new fashion line when he was beaten to death by as many as ten people, his family said in a statement.
“Bakari loved spending time with family and friends, traveling and meeting new people,” the statement said. “He was a big thinker and enjoyed coming up with new business ventures.”
The family statement also including quotes from Henderson’s friends sent to the family.
“Mr. and Mrs. Henderson, Bakari was an amazing friend, one of my best and oldest friends, and one of the most genuine people I ever met,” wrote Henderson’s friend Jordan Zylberberg.
Henderson’s neighbors also mourned his death Friday.
“Great kid. Somebody with a great future,” said neighbor Bill Norton. “He was planning to start his own clothing line. He’s managed to travel around the world a lot at 22. I think this is his second or third trip overseas.”
Henderson attended Anderson High School through his junior year and graduated from Hyde Park Baptist High School in 2013. He was a recent grad of the Eller College of Management at The University of Arizona where he received a bachelor’s degree in business finance and entrepreneurship, the statement said.
In a statement, University of Arizona president Robert C. Robbins expressed his condolences to Henderson’s family and said university staff would reach out to those who knew him to offer their support.
“Our hearts and prayers are with his friends and family. I can only imagine the deep sense of loss they must be feeling at his untimely death. It is always a tragedy when a young life ends before it has really yet to begin,” Robbins said.
Henderson worked as in intern in Texas House Speaker Joe Straus’ office the summer after his freshman year, the Texas Tribune reported.
“[Henderson] was well-liked, he worked hard, and he certainly had a very bright future ahead of him,” Straus told the Tribune on Sunday. “Our entire team is shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic loss of this special young man, and our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”
Authorities have not officially released the victim’s identity, but in a statement, authorities confirmed a U.S. citizen had been killed in Friday’s incident.
“Greek police in Zakynthos notified the U.S. Embassy of the death of a U.S. citizen in the early morning hours of Friday, July 7. We are in communication with authorities and providing consular assistance to the deceased citizen’s family,” a State Department spokesperson said.
Police say a 34-year-old Greek and a 32-year-old British man of Serbian origin have been arrested and were to appear before a prosecutor on murder charges. They say an investigation to identify the rest of the people involved is ongoing.
It was not immediately clear why the fight broke out.
The incident happened in Lagana, an area of the island known for frequently rowdy behavior by young foreign tourists, Greek police said.
The Daily Mail reports that Zakynthos is popular with tourists who are drawn by its stunning beaches and wild nightlife. But there is a dark side and in 2011 a 19-year-old British tourist was beaten to death by two Greek taxi drivers.
About the Author
