Family members say that there was “no justification” for the actions of a truck driver who struck and killed a man after protesters shut down a St. Louis interstate last week.
Police identified the man who was killed on Saturday as 29 year old St. Louis resident Barry Perkins.
In the early morning hours of Saturday, May 30, I-44 near downtown St. Louis was blocked by a protest over the death of George Floyd for almost three hours.
Because of the protesters blocking the interstate, a 44 year old FedEx truck driver was rerouted to North Broadway, where he was stopped again by a group of demonstrators.
As the truck was surrounded by people who were reportedly removing items from the trailers, Perkins climbed between the two trailers.
According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Perkins got stuck on a converter dolly between the trailers as the truck driver pulled away. He was then pulled under the truck by a tire and run over.
Perkins died as a result of his injuries in a hospital.
The truck driver later told police that he was in fear of his life and that he honked his horn to warn those surrounding his vehicle.
Relatives of Perkins issued a statement this week via the Witherspoon Law Group reading “The entire Nation was aware of protests demanding justice for the death of Mr. Floyd. There is no justification for running over a human being with a semi-truck.”
The family also denied that Perkins was looting and said that other protesters begged the truck driver to stop.
The family’s statement raised questions about earlier reports that guns were pointed at the truck driver during the incident.
FedEx has offered condolences to the family and says that they are cooperating with police.