Garrett Foster, a 28-year-old white man and United States Air Force veteran, was fatally shot on July 25, 2020, during a Black Lives Matter protest in Austin, Texas. Foster was legally carrying an AK-47 rifle when he approached the vehicle of Daniel Perry, a 30-year-old U.S. Army sergeant who was working as an Uber driver. Perry claimed he acted in self-defense, but eyewitness accounts contradicted his story.
Perry drove into the crowd of protesters before shooting Foster four times,
including three times in the torso. Perry was later indicted on charges of murder and aggravated assault. In April 2023, a jury found Perry guilty of murder and sentenced him to 25 years in prison. However, Perry was acquitted of the aggravated assault charge.
In May 2024, Texas Governor Greg Abbott pardoned Perry after a recommendation from the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. Perry's social media posts, which included expressions of hostility towards protesters and racist remarks, were used as evidence against him during the trial.
The case sparked debates over Texas' "stand your ground" law and raised questions about the legitimacy of Perry's self-defense claim. Foster's death and the subsequent legal proceedings have been a focal point in discussions about protest safety and the use of force during demonstrations.
