1 Dead After Shooting at Black Lives Matter Protest in Texas: Officials

Police and protesters gather around a demonstrator who got shot after several shots were fired during a Black Lives Matter protest in downtown Austin, Texas, on July 25, 2020 in this screen grab obtained from a social media video. ImHiram/Hiram Gilberto/www.imhiram.com via Reuters

Update: The demonstrator who was killed may have pointed his weapon at the man who shot him, police said.

Original story below.

At least one person is dead after shots were fired Saturday evening at a Black Lives Matter demonstration in Austin, Texas, officials said.

The Austin Police Department confirmed there was a shooting on Twitter, writing: “APD is working a shooting at Congress and 4th St. Media: please avoid calling the Real Time Crime Center at this time as the line needs to stay open. An update will be sent when scene is secured and safe to do so.”

Authorities later told news outlets that the shooting occurred near or at the protests.

Austin senior Police Officer Katrina Ratcliff told CNN that officers found a man with a gunshot wound. He was taken to a nearby hospital where he was later pronounced dead. No one else was injured.

A suspect in the case was detained and is cooperating with authorities, Ratcliff added.

The police department told KXAN that the victim may have been carrying a gun in his hands when he approached the suspect’s car before the suspect opened fire.

A witness at the scene told KUT-TV that the vehicle operated by the suspect nearly came into contact with the Black Lives Matter demonstrators.

“As we’re walking down passing Fourth Street, a blue car just come swerving out into the middle of the street almost runs over a bunch of protesters and everybody around starts like smacking the car trying to get him to slow down,” the witness said. “He pulls down his window and he fires three shots into the guy. From point-blank. No words no nothing. And then rolls up his window and zooms off.”

The victim was identified as Garrett Foster by ABC News, which interviewed his mother, Sheila Foster. She told the news outlet that Foster had attended a number of Black Lives Matter protests in the past and was allegedly shot when he was pushing his girlfriend in a wheelchair.

“And this gentleman got out of his car and started firing shots, and my son was shot three times,” she alleged.

Footage of the incident was apparently captured on Facebook Live.