Army sergeant indicted on murder charge in shooting of Texas protester
- Yacob Reyes, author of Axios Tampa Bay
An attendee lights a candle at a vigil for Garrett Foster on July 26, 2020 in downtown Austin, Texas. Photo: Sergio Flores/Getty Images
Daniel Perry was indicted on charges of murder and deadly conduct Thursday in the July 2020 shooting of an armed protestor in Austin, Texas, AP reports.
Driving the news: Perry, an active-duty former Fort Hood Army sergeant, drove into a crowd gathered to protest police violence, and later fatally shot demonstrator Garrett Foster, an Air Force veteran.
- The event "brought national attention and deepened debates over issues, such as protester safety, self-defense and the right to openly carry guns," per the Austin American-Statesman.
Of note via the American-Statesman: "A key issue in the case is whether Foster raised his weapon at Perry. Some witnesses have said that Foster never pointed the rifle, keeping it down, but an attorney for Perry has said that police have interviewed several people who corroborated his client's account that Foster pointed the gun at him."
What they're saying: Kristen Dark, a spokesperson for the Travis County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that Perry was booked and released on $300,000 bail.
Perry's attorney, Clint Broden, maintained that his client was acting in self-defense.
- “It is important to note that the standard of proof required for an indictment is significantly less than the standard of proof required for a conviction," said Broden in a statement to AP.