Austin Mayor Cries About There Being “Too Many Guns” After Protest Shooting

Last weekend was rather explosive for Austin, Texas after an armed protester was killed during a protest.

A man was driving near a protest in Austin when he saw Garrett Foster accompanied by his wife, who was in a wheelchair, approach his car.

Foster allegedly aimed an AK-47 at the car, which prompted the man to shoot and kill him.

The suspect left jail less than 24 hours following his arrest without receiving charges after he said that he used his gun in self-defense, according to a police report.

“In a split moment, three guns were drawn, eight shots were fired, and a protester was tragically killed. This is horrible as is all gun violence. There are too many guns. Our City is shaken and, like so many in our community, I’m heartbroken and stunned”, Austin Mayor Steve Adler tweeted.

“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,” Austin Police Chief Manley stated. “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.”

Michael Cargill, the owner of Central Texas Gun Works and a concealed carry instructor, said he instructs students taking his gun courses “it’s very easy to teach you how to shoot and kill someone. The hard thing to do is not to pull that gun out.”

“We talk about protests in class,” he remarked. “If you come across a protest, stay in your vehicle, with windows up and doors locked, and let them bang on the vehicle. Whip your cellphone out, in hopes of identifying them for a civil suit to pay for damages. That’s what insurance is for. Don’t worry about the vehicle.”

However, he noted, upon reviewing the video footage of the incident, “I can only imagine, people are banging on the vehicle, banging on his hood, on top of vehicle, he turns and looks left” and, catching sight of a person with a long gun, “thinks this person is going to try to kill me.”

In Cargill’s view, Foster made “a very bad judgment call to be in a protest that can get violent and to have a rifle. It’s his right, but the sight of that gun is what got him shot and killed.”

Although this event ended in a tragedy, open carrying a firearm during protests which are known to get violent is a surefire way to land in trouble.