An ICE agent shot and seriously injured a man in Austin on Sunday, sparking a tense standoff, confrontations between protesters and police, and calls from a Democratic congressman for an independent inquiry.
The incident began shortly before 1 p.m. beneath an overpass in north Austin. Preliminary information from local officials indicates that the federal immigration agent became involved in a traffic stop before a brief foot chase unfolded.
Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 29, was taken to a hospital with a gunshot wound to his torso. His attorney identified him as a Venezuelan national. Officials said he was in serious but stable condition.
Exclusive Daily Mail images showed a small blue Toyota sedan surrounded by police tape beneath the highway overpass. Several bullet holes were visible across the passenger-side door.
Witnesses told NPR affiliate KUT that they heard gunfire and saw an ICE agent near a man who appeared to have been shot in the back.
Authorities have not independently confirmed that account and cautioned that the investigation remains in its early stages.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the episode may have included a foot pursuit, while emphasizing that investigators had limited information and were still working to establish what happened. Austin police also made clear that none of their officers fired the shots.
Several onlookers told the Daily Mail that the man ran from the vehicle after it came to a stop and was later shot.
Austin police faced off Sunday evening with protesters who threw rocks after Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan man, was shot—allegedly in the back—by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers
Exclusive Daily Mail photographs show the small blue Toyota sedan Garces Perez had been traveling in when it was pursued by ICE, with bullet holes across the passenger-side door
Witnesses told the Daily Mail that the man, who is understood to be a Venezuelan undocumented immigrant, fled on foot after his car stopped and was subsequently shot
Austin Council member Mike Siegel said at least one person in civilian clothing who appeared to be unharmed was handcuffed at the scene.
The shooting quickly fueled outrage across the Texas capital. By evening, protesters—including many carrying Mexican flags—had gathered on one side of the overpass, shouting “F*** ICE” and demanding to know whether the involved ICE agent had been arrested.
Some demonstrators threw rocks and water bottles at a line of riot police deployed by the Austin Police Department. Officers responded by firing pepper balls toward the crowd.
At one point, protesters moved toward officers positioned behind protective shields. Local reports said police also used chemical agents in an effort to disperse the demonstrators.
The escalating confrontation came as officials faced growing questions about the federal operation and the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
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Democratic Representative Greg Casar, whose district includes Austin, called for an independent investigation and urged officials to release body-camera footage immediately.
“As the facts emerge, I am demanding a full, independent investigation, immediate release of the body camera footage, and accountability for any ICE officer who broke the law,” Casar said in a statement cited by CBS News.
“Over and over, ICE has shot people and then lied about what happened,” Casar added, referring to the fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis earlier this year.
Chief Davis said local investigators were at the scene and coordinating with federal authorities, while Mayor Kirk Watson called for Austin police to participate in the investigation
Watson said he wanted a ‘clear-eyed, third-party look’ at the shooting
By Sunday afternoon, dozens of protesters gathered close to the scene, with demonstrators shouting anti-ICE slogans as police maintained a heavy presence around the area
At one point, demonstrators confronted police behind protective shields. Local reporting said officers used chemical agents to disperse the crowd
The congressman’s comments came as local officials repeatedly emphasized that many details of Sunday’s shooting were still preliminary.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson also called for local police to have a role in the investigation, saying he wanted a third-party examination of the incident rather than having ICE investigate itself.
At a press conference that took place earlier today, Watson said Perez was in serious but stable condition.
The incident has already drawn comparisons with other recent Texas shootings involving federal immigration agents, including the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston in July. That case remains under investigation.
‘This is a pattern. This is a disturbing pattern,’ said Casar.
Federal authorities had not released a full account of the encounter as of Sunday evening, nor have they identified the agent involved.
It was also unclear whether the federal officer remained in Austin. Mayor Watson said he hoped that an agent involved in an officer-involved shooting would not leave the city or state while the investigation was underway.
This is a developing story, more to come.