An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and wounded a DoorDash driver, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, on Sunday in Austin, Texas, according to city officials. The 28-year-old Venezuelan national was shot once in the torso and was taken to the hospital, where he is reported to be in serious but stable condition. Local officials are seeking clarification from federal authorities regarding the circumstances leading up to the shooting and whether Garces Perez was specifically targeted by ICE. This incident follows a previous shooting involving an ICE officer in Houston earlier this year.
Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, representing Garces Perez's family, stated that he called his wife in distress after the incident. Reports indicate that he is currently in ICE custody. The shooting occurred at approximately 12:55 PM local time at the intersection of U.S. 183 and Anderson Square, with no local police officers present at the time.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed that the shooter was an ICE agent, while Mayor Kirk Watson expressed his anger over the incident, citing a broader context of fear surrounding ICE operations. Watson called for an independent investigation into the shooting, stating that it would be inappropriate for ICE to conduct the inquiry themselves.
The Department of Homeland Security referred to Garces Perez as an “illegal alien” and noted that he had a final order of removal. However, Lincoln-Goldfinch contested this characterization, asserting that Garces Perez previously held a valid work permit and entered the U.S. lawfully.
Photographs from the scene show a blue Toyota Corolla with visible damage and bullet holes. The police chief could not confirm reports that the vehicle was sideswiped before the shooting occurred.
Following the shooting, demonstrators gathered near the scene, carrying signs demanding justice for Garces Perez. U.S. Representative Greg Casar, whose district includes the area, remarked on the community's distrust of ICE and called for a reevaluation of their operations in Austin. Mayor Watson noted an increase in ICE detentions in the area, highlighting a significant rise in incidents over a short period.
This incident is part of a larger pattern of immigration-related shootings involving federal law enforcement, which have raised concerns about the treatment of individuals by ICE. Recent reports indicate that over 50 individuals have died in ICE custody since the beginning of the current administration, with multiple shootings reported this year, including the deaths of two U.S. citizens during protests against ICE operations.