An ICE Officer Shot 28-Year-Old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez During A Traffic Stop Sunday, Leaving Him Seriously Wounded As Austin Officials Demand Access To The Federal Investigation
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and wounded a Venezuelan man in North Austin Sunday afternoon, triggering a large police response, protests and demands from local officials for an independent investigation.
The man was identified by his family’s immigration attorney as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28. He was shot once in the torso and hospitalized in serious but stable condition before being placed in federal custody, according to federal and local officials.
Austin police were not involved in the immigration operation or the shooting, Police Chief Lisa Davis said. The Texas Department of Public Safety said ICE requested assistance during a vehicle pursuit around 12:50 p.m., but state troopers arrived after the shooting had already occurred.
Federal Officials And Family Attorney Give Different Accounts
The Department of Homeland Security said Garces Perez had entered the United States illegally and had a final order of removal. DHS said Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the FBI, is investigating the shooting and that Garces Perez remained in federal custody pending removal.
But attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch initially said she believed Garces Perez had no criminal history and no final removal order. She later said she did not know his current immigration status.
Lincoln-Goldfinch also said his family struggled for hours to obtain information about his condition and whereabouts. His wife eventually learned that he had been released into ICE custody, according to the attorney.
CBS News reported that Garces Perez was working as a DoorDash delivery driver when the shooting occurred. DoorDash confirmed he was in the process of making a delivery and said the company was investigating.
Austin Officials Push For Independent Investigation
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said the Austin Police Department should have a role in the investigation to provide independent scrutiny rather than leaving the review solely to federal immigration authorities.
Watson said Austin residents have a right to feel safe and argued that local involvement would strengthen public confidence in the investigation.
The Travis County District Attorney’s Office also formally requested that Austin police and county prosecutors serve as “co-equal partners” in the investigation and that federal authorities provide access to evidence.
“It is critical that all the facts come to light and that an independent investigation be completed,” the DA’s office said. Prosecutors added that investigators must determine whether any state laws were violated.
About 100 protesters gathered near the shooting scene Sunday as officers maintained a large presence around the area. Demonstrators confronted law enforcement while passing drivers honked in support.
The shooting comes amid intensified federal immigration enforcement nationwide. ICE recorded more than 50,000 arrests per month in July and August, according to reporting from The Associated Press.
The Austin shooting also follows other recent encounters involving federal immigration officers in Texas and elsewhere.
In San Antonio, ICE activity has remained under scrutiny as city leaders and East Side residents continue raising concerns about federal immigration enforcement and plans involving detention infrastructure in the city. Earlier coverage has followed the federal government’s proposed East Side detention facility and local leaders’ efforts to obtain more information from ICE.
