ICE agent shoots and wounds Venezuelan man at traffic stop in Austin, Texas

ICE Officer Shoots Venezuelan Man During Traffic Stop in Austin, Texas

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and wounded a Venezuelan man during a traffic stop on Sunday afternoon in Austin, Texas. The man, identified by relatives and his attorney as 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, was transported to a hospital in serious but stable condition and later taken into custody, according to officials.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis stated at a news conference with Mayor Kirk Watson that the man was shot once in the torso on the city’s north side. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, said it is leading an investigation into the incident with assistance from the FBI. Austin police officers were not involved in the operation or the shooting, Davis said.

Bystander video shows Austin officers arriving after the shooting and administering first aid, including cutting off the man’s shirt to expose a wound between his shoulder blades. Federal officers on scene stated they had called an ambulance but did not provide first aid in the footage. The ICE officer stood next to the open door of a blue Toyota sedan that had a visible dent.

Garcés Pérez’s attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, said her client arrived in the United States from Venezuela two years earlier and was making a DoorDash delivery at the time of the encounter. She stated that she and Garcés Pérez’s wife were directed away from the hospital where they believed he was being treated. Hospital staff later informed them that ICE had removed him from the facility around 4:30 p.m. local time. As of 10 p.m. that night, neither the attorney nor family members had received further information on his location or condition.

Nedavia Bolaños and her husband, who identified himself only as Carlos, said they heard gunshots and approached the scene from their nearby ice-cream store. Carlos said he spoke with the man, who appeared to be clutching his chest. Bolaños recorded video in which she asked federal agents why the shooting occurred. The agents wore tactical vests and masks and did not respond to questions from bystanders, according to the couple.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said at the press conference that he wanted the city’s police department to participate in the investigation to provide independent review. He stated that Austin residents have a right to feel safe and that a thorough process would support credibility. Watson noted that authorities did not know whether the involved federal agent remained in the city or state.

A demonstration formed near the intersection, with approximately 100 people present alongside a large law enforcement presence. Some participants held signs, and passing vehicles honked. U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, whose district includes parts of Austin, called for transparency in the investigation.

The shooting took place amid increased ICE enforcement activity. The agency reported more than 50,000 arrests per month in July and August. In July, an ICE officer fatally shot 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo of Houston during an encounter while agents followed a vehicle carrying a construction crew. Also in July, an ICE officer shot 25-year-old Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine. The Associated Press reported that the officer in the Maine case was an army veteran with documented mental health issues dating to childhood.

No information has been released by federal authorities on the specific circumstances that prompted the use of force in the Austin incident, including any details on the traffic stop, the man’s immigration status beyond his arrival date, or actions taken by either party during the encounter. The investigation by DHS and the FBI continues.

Lincoln-Goldfinch expressed concern that Garcés Pérez might not be receiving ongoing medical care and that deportation proceedings could follow. Officials have not confirmed his current location or medical status.