Police Seek Potential Witnesses In Shooting Of Austin Protester

AUSTIN, TX — Police in Austin sought help from the public on Monday in locating people who may have witnessed the fatal shooting of a protester in July.

Garrett Foster, 28, was killed after pointing his AK-47-style rifle at a passing motorist during a protest against police brutality on July 25, according to police. Through his attorneys, Daniel Perry of North Texas later identified himself as the shooter and said he acted in self-defense. After shooting Foster at the intersection of Congress Avenue and 4th Street, Perry came under fire when a bystander shot at his fleeing car.

Police have since interviewed both Perry and the other shooter — both of whom have concealed handgun licenses — but no arrests were made. Police later said Foster didn't fire his gun but pointed it at Perry, prompting the latter to shoot him. Foster was carrying his firearm as allowed under the state's open carry provision.

Previous coverage

• Shooting In Downtown Austin Amid Police Protest Leaves Man Dead
• Austin Police Seek Surveillance Footage In Death Of Protester
  
• New Details Released In Fatal Shooting Of Austin Protester

Police seek the man pictured in this photo for information into the fatal shooting of Garrett Foster in downtown Austin on July 25. Photo via Austin Police Department.

As detectives continue to investigate, officials ask for the potential witnesses shown in police-issued photos to contact Crime Stoppers at (512) 472-TIPS (8477) or email homicide.apd@austintexas.gov.

Also on Monday, attorneys for Perry said he had no "nefarious" intentions when he drove through the intersection where a throng of protester had gathered. The line of defense emerged after past tweets by Perry — a sergeant with the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Hood — circulating on social media suggested violence against those calling for law enforcement reform across the country in the wake of recent deaths of Black men at the hands of police.

After Donald Trump tweeted that “...protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes” protesting in Oklahoma would face “a much different scene” than protesters in New York or Minneapolis, Perry responded from a now-deleted account with the username “@knivesfromtrigu,” as the Texas Tribune reported. In response to Trump's tweet, Perry responded: "Send them to Texas we will show them why we say don’t mess with Texas.”

The account using the handle @knivesfromtrigu was identified as being connected to Perry by Tribune of the People, a group billing itself as a “revolutionary news service.”

Suspicions also have been raised about Perry's motives while downtown given some witnesses' assertions that Foster did not raise his rifle as police stated in a subsequent news conference. Several witnesses also claim Perry used his car threateningly to instigate violence, as reported by the Tribune.

Clint Broden, an attorney with Dallas-based law firm Broden and Mickelsen representing Perry, released photos and bank records on Monday purported to contradict claims the sergeant was looking for trouble when he drove to downtown Austin, as The Austin American-Statesman reported. Instead, lawyers said the active-duty soldier was driving for Uber to make extra money when he encountered Foster, according to the report.

“We hope this puts to rest the allegations that Sgt. Perry traveled to Austin for any nefarious purpose,” Broden said in a written statement published by the Statesman.