New Details Released In Fatal Shooting Of Austin Protester

AUSTIN, TX — Austin Police Chief Brian Manley on Sunday evening released details on a fatal shooting over the weekend that left a Black Lives Matter protester dead, saying three firearms were involved in the incident.

Garrett Foster, 28, was shot after approaching a vehicle along the 300 block of Congress Avenue at 4th Street while carrying an AK-47-style rifle just before 10 p.m. on Saturday, Manley said in a remote news conference. According to witness accounts, the car's driver turned south onto Congress Avenue where protesters had gathered while honking the horn, prompting demonstrators to descend on the vehicle.

Foster also approached the car before being shot multiple times, Manley said. Another person at the protest fired at the vehicle as the driver fled the scene, the chief added. Manley said both firearms used in the shooting, along with the vehicle involved, have been secured as evidence. He noted both of the people who fired their weapons possess concealed handgun licenses.

Manley said the driver of the vehicle was among those calling police to report the shooting. He said the driver was asked to pull over and await arrival of officers before he was detained for questioning. Having cooperated with the police investigation, the driver and the other shooter have since been released after consultation with the district attorney, pending the outcome of the investigation, Manley said.

The chief added that officers already at the scene to monitor the protest, along with Austin Fire Department crew members, applied life-saving measures in attempts to save Foster before he was pronounced dead at Dell Seton Medical Center at 10:25 p.m. Police were alerted to the shooting after two separate volleys of gunfire reverberated through downtown Austin, the chief noted.

Manley did not release the identities of the shooters. Friends of the fallen demonstrator said on social media Foster and his wheelchair-reliant wife had been fixtures at Black Lives Matter protests since demonstrations began in late May.

Previous coverage: Shooting In Downtown Austin Amid Police Protest Leaves Man Dead

The police chief urged anyone with cell phone video or pictures from the incident to contact detectives at (512) 974-TIPS (8477) or email them to homicide.apd@austintexas.gov or use the Crime Stoppers app. Those with tips also can submit them by downloading APD’s mobile app, Austin PD, free on iPhone and Android.

Manley stressed that anyone who wishes to remain anonymous can do so. During his press conference, the chief referenced video of theAustin downtown shooting's aftermath that has been widely circulated on social media.

Austin Mayor Steve Adler expressed dismay at the shooting via Twitter on Sunday evening, while noting the abundance of firearms involved. "In a split moment, three guns were drawn, eight shots were fired, and a protester was tragically killed," the mayor wrote. "This is horrible as is all gun violence. There are too many guns. Our city is shaken and, like so many in our community, I'm heartbroken and stunned."

Former Travis County Judge Sarah Eckhardt, now headed for the Texas Senate, also expressed sadness at the fatal shooting. "I don't yet know the facts leading up to his death," she wrote Sunday on Twitter. "But I do know Garrett Foster's life mattered. We grieve along with those whom he loved and loved him in return."

Protesters decrying police brutality have been gathering in downtown Austin since late May, when George Floyd was killed in Minneapolis after an officer knelt on his neck for nearly nine minutes. Austin activists already were galvanized in protest, albeit in less-organized fashion, after unarmed Michael Ramos was fatally shot by police during a confrontation outside a South Austin apartment complex on April 24.

A vigil for Foster was scheduled at 7 p.m. at 4th Street and Congress Avenue as a GoFundMe drive collects money to cover funeral costs and related expenses.

Editor's Note: Patch is a GoFundMe promotional partner.