A 28‑year‑old Venezuelan national, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, was shot in the torso by an ICE agent in Austin, Texas, on Sunday afternoon. The victim was taken to a hospital, where his lawyer reported that he was in pain and had called his wife while being held in ICE custody.
Local officials, including Mayor Kirk Watson and the Austin Police Department, have demanded an independent investigation. Watson said residents have a right to know what happened and to feel safe in their city. The mayor added that ICE operations have surged in Austin in recent weeks.
Protesters gathered outside the scene, some waving Mexican and Guatemalan flags, and carrying signs calling for ICE to leave Austin. The demonstrators stood across the street from a blue Toyota Corolla that sustained damage to the passenger‑side door while ICE agents remained nearby.
Congressman Greg Casar has demanded a full investigation and the release of body‑camera footage, calling for accountability for any ICE officer who broke the law. The incident follows a fatal shooting of a Houston resident by an ICE officer earlier this year.
The Trump administration has defended its immigration enforcement policies, while rights activists and Democrats have called for reforms, including body‑camera requirements and prohibiting agents from concealing their faces during operations.
Earlier this month, the Department of Justice charged an ICE agent with lying about a non‑fatal shooting in Minnesota, a rare instance of a federal agent being accused of wrongdoing on the job.
As the investigation proceeds, residents and officials await answers from federal authorities on whether Garces Perez was a target of ICE or was injured during a routine encounter.
