ICE Agent Shoots, Wounds Man in Austin as Officials Call for Independent Investigation

A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded a man in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, September 20, during an immigration enforcement operation, according to local officials.

The man suffered a gunshot wound to his torso and was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said at a news conference. Reuters reported that the shooting occurred shortly before 1 p.m. local time during a brief foot pursuit.

The victim was later identified by an immigration attorney representing his family as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, a Venezuelan national. Reuters reported that Perez was released from the hospital later Sunday and placed in apparent ICE custody.

The circumstances leading to the shooting remain under investigation, with different accounts emerging over the man’s immigration status and the events immediately preceding the gunfire.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, said its Homeland Security Investigations unit was leading the investigation with assistance from the FBI. DHS said the man was a Venezuelan national who entered the United States illegally during the Biden administration and was subject to a final removal order.

However, Perez’s attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, told the Texas Tribune that her client entered the United States legally. The attorney has also questioned aspects of the government’s account.

Austin police said their officers were not involved in the shooting. Chief Davis said local police had not been fully briefed by federal authorities and that information about the incident remained preliminary.

The shooting happened in North Austin near Anderson Square and Research Boulevard. Images from the scene showed a blue Toyota sedan with damage around the passenger-side doors as federal officers and other law enforcement personnel secured the area.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called for the Austin Police Department and Texas Rangers to participate in the investigation.

Watson said he wanted local authorities involved to provide an independent perspective, while acknowledging that the circumstances surrounding the shooting were still unclear.

US Rep. Greg Casar, whose district includes parts of Austin, also called for a full investigation and the release of available body-camera footage.

The incident drew protesters to the area, with demonstrations taking place near the scene as questions mounted over the circumstances of the shooting and the role of federal immigration officers in Austin.

ABC News reported that Perez was working as a DoorDash delivery driver at the time of the encounter, according to his lawyer and the delivery platform. A video obtained by the network showed Perez inside the damaged vehicle after the shooting, although the circumstances shown in the footage do not by themselves establish what led to the shooting.

The Austin shooting comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE’s enforcement operations under the Trump administration. Reuters noted that federal immigration officers have been involved in several shooting incidents this year, including fatal shootings in other states.

Authorities have yet to provide a full public account of what prompted the ICE officer to fire, and the investigation remains ongoing.