ICE officer wounds man in Austin after traffic stop
An ICE officer shot a 28-year-old Venezuelian man in the torso during a traffic stop in Austin; the victim is hospitalized in serious but stable condition and city officials are calling for an independent investigation.
A man was shot in the torso by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer during a traffic stop on Austin's north side on Sunday afternoon. The victim, identified by his attorney as 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan, was taken to a hospital where he remains in serious but stable condition, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis.
Chief Davis said Austin police were not involved in the operation and that the department’s special investigation unit is on the scene. The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for details, and the identity of the federal agent has not been disclosed.
Mayor Kirk Watson said the city wants its police department to conduct the investigation to ensure “clear, third-party eyes,” adding that residents have a right to feel safe and that an independent probe would enhance credibility. He expressed uncertainty about whether the officer will remain in the city or state.
Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, representing the victim’s family, said she believes the man had no criminal history and no final removal order, though she could not confirm his current immigration status. The family has had difficulty obtaining information from the hospital.
Around 100 protesters gathered at the shooting site, some displaying signs and chanting slogans. U.S. Representative Greg Casar called for transparency in the investigation, stating that ICE should cease its enforcement surge in Austin.
The incident occurs amid a nationwide increase in ICE activity, which recorded more than 50,000 arrests per month in July and August.