Austinite and former intern for House Speaker Straus killed in Greece

A 22-year-old Austin resident and former intern at the Texas Capitol was killed Friday in a bar fight in Greece. Eight people have been arrested in the attack.

Bakari Henderson, a recent graduate of the University of Arizona who was an intern in House Speaker Joe Straus' office, was vacationing on the Greek island of Zakynthos when he was approached by another customer in a bar. The confrontation quickly turned into a fistfight, and the two were asked to go outside the bar, where the fighting continued, according to the Washington Post.

Henderson was beaten even after he was unconscious, according to a Greek news agency. He died at a nearby hospital.

Seven Serbian nationals and one Greek were arrested in connection with the attack, the Post reported.

Henderson’s family told news outlets he was in Greece to work on a photo shoot for a new clothing line he planned to launch.

“Bakari loved spending time with family and friends, traveling, and meeting new people. He was a big thinker and enjoyed coming up with new business ventures,” his family said in a statement Friday. “Bakari was an inspiration to all he met. He loved life and lived it to the fullest.”

Henderson, who studied finance and entrepreneurship in college, spent the summer after his freshman year interning at the Capitol, for both Straus and the Texas Senate. 

"[Henderson] was well-liked, he worked hard, and he certainly had a very bright future ahead of him," Straus said 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."

The State Department confirmed the death and said in a statement that officials are “providing consular assistance,” as well as “sincerest condolences,” to Henderson’s family.

Several Arizona politicians expressed their grief at the attack. Arizona Senator Jeff Flake said on Twitter that he is working with the State Department to ensure that Henderson’s friends get home safely.