Man shot dead at protest in Texas after car driver opens fire

AUSTIN, Texas -- A man was fatally shot at a protest in Texas when he approached a vehicle and the driver inside opened fire, police said.

The shooting happened just before 10 p.m. Saturday during a protest in downtown Austin, police spokesperson Katrina Ratliff told reporters early Sunday. The man was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

The vehicle had honked, turned down a road and then sped toward protesters, witness Michael Capochiano told the Austin American-Statesman newspaper. The man, who Capochiano said was carrying a rifle, approached the vehicle and was shot by the driver. The driver then drove away, Capochiano said.

Initial reports indicated "the victim may have been carrying a rifle," Ratliff told reporters, adding that the suspect was detained and was cooperating with police.

The crowd gathered Saturday for a Black Lives Matter protest, news outlets reported. The demonstration was streamed live on Facebook and captured audio of a vehicle's horn honking and several gunshots being fired.