GoFundMe Rejects Campaign of Veteran Arguing Self-Defense in BLM Shooting

GoFundMe, which has been criticized for some inequitable enforcement of their terms of service, has taken down the fundraiser campaign for a U.S. Army sergeant arguing he shot a Black Lives Matter aggressor in self-defense, according to BizPac Review.

Sgt. Daniel Perry is charged with having killed a BLM protester who he says pointed a AK-47-style rifle at him, threatening his life when he was driving for Uber in Austin, Texas, at the height of the 2020 summer of social injustice riots after the death of George Floyd.

"It's an expensive trial to undertake with the need for expert witnesses and stuff and we had a GoFundMe site that's been taken down and it's been weighing on him," attorney Clint Broden told Fox News.

Perry, an active-duty soldier and Afghanistan veteran, stationed at Ford Hood, Texas, pulled up to the BLM protesters blocking the intersection. Perry's defense argues a masked Garrett Foster pointed his AK-47 in the "ready position" – as Perry's car was being pelted and surrounded – then Perry took out his handgun and fired shots at the threat, killing Foster.

"When Sgt. Perry turned onto Congress Avenue, several people started beating on his vehicle," his lawyers said, according to the report. "An individual carrying an assault rifle, now known to be Garrett Foster, quickly approached the car and then motioned with the assault rifle for Mr. Perry to lower his window. Sgt. Perry initially believed the person was associated with law enforcement and complied with the command.

"It was only then that Sgt. Perry, who carried a handgun in his car for his own protection while driving strangers in the rideshare program, fired on the person to protect his own life," his attorneys wrote.

Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza indicted Perry on murder and aggravated assault charges about a year later.

"Garrett Foster either intentionally or accidentally pointed his rifle at Daniel Perry's head and Daniel Perry fired in self-defense," attorney Doug O’Connell told Fox News. "And as a practical matter, he had no ability to retreat nor was he required to."

Broden added Perry was in imminent danger and has the right to protect himself against a threat on his life.

"You have the right to defend yourself in a crowd and you feel like you're in imminent danger of being shot," Broden said. "That's what it's all about. I ask people to put themselves in Sgt. Perry's position and you have this masked man with an assault rifle ready starting to raise it. I think anybody that had access to a firearm would react the same way."

GoFundMe had similarly banned fundraising campaigns for Kenosha shooter Kyle Rittenhouse, but only restored the page for the 18-year-old's defense after he was acquitted on all charges after a jury found he lawfully reacted to three aggressors in self-defense, shooting three and killing two.

• GoFundMe Lifts Rittenhouse Ban After Acquittal
• Alan Dershowitz: 'Racism' for Media to Mock Rittenhouse's Tears