Murder trial to begin in Austin for Army sergeant who claimed to shoot BLM protestor in self-defense in 2020

The murder trial for an Army sergeant who shot and killed a protester during riots that rocked the US in the summer of 2020 began on Monday in Austin, Texas. 

During the BLM riots and protests that broke out across the US and in the Texas state capitol in the wake of the death of George Floyd, Sgt. Daniel Perry, was stationed at Fort Hood. Video from that night shows the sequence of events, with Perry's car being stopped by protestors in the street.

According to police, the night of July 25, 2020, Perry was driving for Uber in downtown Austin to make extra money and came across a large group of protesters illegally blocking city streets as was common in Austin and elsewhere during the weeks of rioting.

Perry's defense team alleges that the protesters encircled his car and began pounding on his vehicle. Among the protestors was 28-year-old Garrett Foster, who was armed with an AK-47.