Abbott Will Pardon Sgt. Perry in BLM Killing

Greg Abbott

Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) intends to pardon an Army Sargeant convicted of murder. Army Sargeant Daniel Perry was convicted on Friday after killing a Black Lives Matter (BLM) protestor that was holding an AK-47.

At the time of the shooting, Perry was stationed at Fort Hood, and he was driving for Uber to make some extra money. On the night of July 25, 2020, in the downtown Austin area, Perry says he encountered a large crowd of protestors that were illegally blocking city streets.

One of the protestors was 28-year-old Garrett Foster who possessed an AK-47. The protestors are then said to have encircled Perry’s car, pounding on the vehicle, and Foster is alleged to have raised the AK-47 at Perry. In response, Perry shot Foster with a firearm, and the Austin Police Department concluded that Perry had acted in self-defense.

In a statement provided to Fox News Digital last year, Doug O’Connell, an attorney for Perry, commented that “when Garrett Foster pointed his AK-47 at Daniel Perry, Daniel had two tenths of a second to defend himself. He chose to live.”

O’Connell added that "it may be legal in Texas to carry an assault rifle in downtown Austin. It doesn’t make it a good idea. If you point a firearm at someone, you’re responsible for everything that happens next."

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza has faced the same criticism that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has faced. Both have been criticized as being George Soros-backed prosecutors who have pursued charges for political means.

After the ruling in the case, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) criticized the verdict, saying that “self-defense is a God-given right, not a crime. Unfortunately, the Soros-backed DA in Travis County cares more about the radical agenda of dangerous Antifa and BLM mobs than justice.”

Taking to Twitter after the verdict, Governor Abbott expressed that he intends to pardon Perry, describing how he intends to do so.

"I am working as swiftly as Texas law allows regarding the pardon of Sgt. Perry," Abbott wrote.

Fox News Digital reached out to Garza’s office regarding the matter, but Garza’s office did not immediately comment.

Daniel Molina

Daniel Molina is a managing editor and legislative correspondent with a decade of experience covering the evolving political landscape of the American South and Southwest.