Austin man, 22, beaten to death at Greek bar

A 22-year-old man from Austin was beaten to death Friday while vacationing in Greece on the island of Zakinthos, Greek police said.

Bakari Jaward Henderson was visiting Greece for a photo shoot for his new clothing line when he was beaten by a group of people while at a bar in Lagana, a tourist area known for rowdy behavior.

Eight people, including six Serbians, a 34-year-old Greek man and a 32-year-old British man of Serbian origin, have been arrested, authorities said.

Serbia’s foreign ministry said Saturday that the detained Serbs were to appear before a judge on murder charges.

A customer approached Henderson in the bar and, for unclear reasons, the two had a confrontation that escalated into a fist fight. The bar’s security guard asked the two to leave, according to media reports.

The fight continued outside, where more people, including two bar employees, began punching Henderson. Surveillance videos showed the suspects beating Henderson even after he was unconscious. Henderson died at a hospital. A State Department official said in a statement that Greek police have notified the U.S. Embassy of the incident.

“We are in communication with authorities and providing consular assistance to the deceased citizen’s family,” the official said. “We offer our sincerest condolences to family and friends, and out of respect for the family during this difficult time, we have no further comment.”

Henderson attended high school in Austin and graduated in May from the University of Arizona. He completed internships with the Texas Legislature, including the House speaker’s office, his family told the media.

“Bakari loved spending time with family and friends, traveling and meeting new people,” his family told the Austin AmericanStatesman. “He was a big thinker and enjoyed coming up with new business ventures.”