General

#Man who killed Texas protester Garrett Foster released, claims self defense

#Man who killed Texas protester Garrett Foster released, claims self defense

The driver who shot dead Texas Black Lives Matter protester Garrett Foster was released within 24 hours — claiming he was defending himself after being threatened with an AK-47-style rifle, according to cops.

The unidentified driver was released by homicide cops without charge Sunday pending an ongoing investigation over the deadly shooting at the previous night’s rally in Austin, police said.

Garrett, 28, died from multiple gunshot wounds at the march, where friends say he had been with his quadruple-amputee fiancée, for whom he had quit the Air Force to be a full-time caregiver.

The driver sped off, but called 911 and told officers during interviews that he “had shot someone who had approached the driver’s window of their vehicle and pointed a rifle at them,” Austin police chief Brian Manley said.

“During the initial investigation of this incident, it appears that Mr. Foster may have pointed his weapon at the driver of this vehicle prior to being shot,” Manley said in a Zoom press conference Sunday.

“Mr. Foster — who was holding an AK-47-type assault rifle — approached the driver’s side window as others in the crowd began striking the vehicle,” Manley said of witness statements.

The driver’s “account is that Mr. Foster pointed the weapon directly at him and he fired his handgun at Mr. Foster,” Manley said.

After opening fire, the driver sped off — and another protester “fired multiple shots at the vehicle as it drove away,” Manley said.

Both shooters had licenses to carry a concealed handgun and were released Sunday pending the ongoing investigation, Manley said.

The police chief did not say if Foster had a license, but it is legal in Texas to openly carry a rifle like an AK-47 without one, The Dallas Morning News noted.

“We are heartbroken over the loss of Mr. Foster last night,” Manley said.

Garrett Foster with his fiancee Whitney Mitchell.
Garrett Foster with his fiancee Whitney Mitchell.Facebook

Witnesses had claimed the car drove through the protest — only coming to a stop when it hit a barricade — but the police chief refused to comment on what the driver said he had been doing.

Foster’s sister, Anna Mayo, told the Statesman that her brother was passionate about his Second Amendment rights — but “would have never, ever pointed a gun at somebody.”

“He always carried his guns with him … He always would exercise his right to carry, but he would never threaten somebody,” she insisted.

“He was one of the most kindhearted people — that was the whole reason he was out there.”

The protests were also important for him because of his relationship with his fiancée, Whitney Mitchell, who is black, his sister told the paper.

“They’ve experienced so much hate just for their relationship in general,” Mayo said. “From day one, he’s fought to end that.”

Foster had quit the Air Force to care for Mitchell after she had all four limbs amputated after she developed a medical condition that led to sepsis in 2011.

“He’s been doing it ever since,” his mother, Sheila Foster, told The Dallas Morning News. “He loved that woman unconditionally.”

Mitchell’s mother, Patricia Kirven, told the Dallas Morning News she warned her daughter about going to the protests.

“I told her not to go. I was afraid something would happen,” Kirven said.

“She physically is OK, but mentally she is not. ‘Inconsolable’ is the only word I can think of, because she’ll talk for a bit and then break down.”

If you want to read more News articles, you can visit our General category.

if you want to watch Movies or Tv Shows go to Dizi.BuradaBiliyorum.Com for forums sites go to Forum.BuradaBiliyorum.Com

Source

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button
Close

Please allow ads on our site

Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker!