Man guilty in Texas protest killing posted ‘I am a racist’

By JIM VERTUNO
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Prosecutors are seeking to portray as racist a U.S. Army sergeant who fatally shot an armed man during a Black Lives Matter protest demonstration in Texas, saying he was was hostile toward social justice causes and looking for trouble before the encounter. Daniel Perry was convicted of murder in April in the July 2020 killing of 28-year-old Garrett Foster, who was legally carrying a rifle during the protest in downtown Austin. Perry’s two-day sentencing hearing began Tuesday with the introduction of dozens of texts and social media posts that he wrote, shared or liked, including some shockingly racists images. Perry, who was working as a ride-share driver the night of the shooting, has said he acted in self-defense.