A Democratic lawmaker is seeking answers after alleging that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot a person during an operation Sunday morning in Austin, Texas.
Austin officials said they will discuss what the city called an “Immigration and Customs Enforcement shooting” at a 4 p.m. news conference Sunday at Austin City Hall. Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis and Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz are expected to provide updates on the incident.
The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed to FOX 7 Austin that ICE was conducting an investigation in the 7000 block of West Anderson Lane. However, the agency did not confirm whether anyone had been shot or injured.
“ICE investigation confirmed in the 7000 block of West Anderson, ICE is handling investigation,” a DPS public information officer told the outlet.
ICE agents gather near the scene of a reported shooting in Austin, Texas. (KTBC)
Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas, said on X that “ICE has shot a person in Austin this morning.” He urged officials to launch a thorough independent investigation and release body-camera video without delay.
“Over and over, ICE has shot people and then lied about what happened,” Casar wrote. “We will demand truth, transparency and accountability.”
A crowd gathers near the scene of a reported ICE shooting in Austin, Texas. (KTBC)
Officials have not provided additional details about the reported shooting.
The Austin incident unfolded as federal immigration enforcement operations continue to fuel political debate and public tensions nationwide.
Authorities gather near a vehicle in the area where ICE reportedly shot a person in Austin, Texas. (KTBC)
Protests also turned confrontational outside New Jersey’s Delaney Hall immigration detention center in May, after demonstrators refused a state police order to move to an assigned protest zone. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka later condemned the methods used by state troopers deployed to protect the facility, which had become a regular site of demonstrations.
Federal immigration actions faced further national scrutiny in Minnesota after the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Authorities said an ICE agent killed Good in early January after she attempted to drive her vehicle into federal officers. Pretti was fatally shot by agents on Jan. 24 while he was recording federal officers, according to reports.
The Austin Police Department directed News Media to ICE for additional information.
News Media contacted ICE and the Texas Department of Public Safety seeking further details and comment.