Witnesses of the shooting incident involving a 52-year-old man, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, in Houston earlier this week, stated that he did not attempt to run over Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. An attorney representing two of the witnesses, Hugo Balderas Ibarra, held a news conference on Friday where he shared their accounts. He indicated that the agents fired into the vehicle from the sides and that no agents were positioned in front of the vehicle.
Balderas Ibarra mentioned that he spoke with the witnesses at a detention center where they are being held for deportation. He quoted them as saying, "At no point was there ever an agent standing in front of the vehicle, nor was an agent ever placed in the line of danger."
ICE's statement claimed that Salgado Araujo attempted to run over an officer, which led to the shooting in self-defense. Witness Jose Trinidad Rojas refuted this, stating in a handwritten note that there were no officers in front of or behind the vehicle during the incident.
This shooting has prompted renewed scrutiny of ICE's operations. Under the previous administration, ICE was tasked with aggressive enforcement goals, including a target of arresting 2,000 individuals per day. Since January 2025, at least two individuals, including a U.S. citizen, have been killed by ICE agents in Texas, with a total of at least 10 fatalities nationwide attributed to immigration agents.
U.S. Representative Sylvia Garcia and Balderas Ibarra called for an independent investigation into the shooting. Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare stated that his office is actively seeking surveillance footage and witness accounts to ensure a thorough investigation, despite potential challenges in obtaining evidence from federal agencies.
Garcia noted that acting ICE Director David Venturella informed her that agents did not have body-worn or dashboard cameras during the incident. She also expressed skepticism about the information provided by ICE, particularly regarding the tip that led to the pursuit of Salgado Araujo's vehicle, which was not disclosed to her during their conversation.
The incident occurred as Salgado Araujo and his passengers were reportedly on their way to a construction job site after purchasing supplies. They described how an unmarked vehicle followed them and cut in front of their van just before the shooting took place.