ICE officer who shot Austin delivery driver was not wearing issued body camera
An ICE officer shot Venezuelan delivery driver Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez in Austin while not wearing an assigned body camera; the incident is under investigation and a judge has temporarily halted his deportation.
An ICE officer in Austin shot 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, a Venezuelan DoorDash driver, on Sunday afternoon, leaving a bullet lodged in his back. Department of Homeland Security officials said the officer had been issued a body camera but was not wearing it at the time, and they could not determine why. A second ICE officer in the same vehicle wore a camera, but the recorded footage does not capture the moment of the shooting.
Garcia Pérez was taken to a hospital, later transferred to the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, and remains in custody. A federal judge issued an emergency order on Tuesday temporarily blocking his deportation proceedings. The Travis County District Attorney’s Office has asked DHS and ICE to allow him to stay in the country as a material witness in the investigation.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis released partial video from an off-duty officer’s dash cam and cellphone, showing three gunshots and the aftermath of the encounter. She asked the public for any additional video that could help reconstruct the pursuit leading up to the shooting.
Garcia Pérez’s attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, reported that he experienced loss of movement in his left arm, was hospitalized, and later returned to detention where he is receiving pain medication but remains on a flat bed without his communication tablet. She has called for restoration of his communication privileges, appropriate medical equipment, and his immediate release.
Rep. Joaquin Castro and Rep. Greg Casar said they would visit Garcia Pérez and advocate for his release. A DHS spokesperson said he is in stable condition and remains in federal custody pending removal. A senior DHS official noted that Garcia Pérez has no criminal history beyond his immigration status.
ICE Director David Venturella has pledged that all ICE officers will be equipped with body cameras by the end of August, though the timeline may be affected by potential changes in vendors.