An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded a man during a brief foot pursuit in Austin, Texas, prompting city officials to call for a broader investigation into the incident.
The man suffered a gunshot wound to the torso and was hospitalized in serious but stable condition, according to Austin officials. Police Chief Lisa Davis said the shooting happened shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday after the officer pursued the man on foot.
The victim was identified by immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch as 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez. She said she was representing his family and that Perez was released from the hospital later Sunday while apparently remaining in ICE custody.
The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation, with federal and local accounts differing on some details.
The Department of Homeland Security said its Homeland Security Investigations division was leading the inquiry with assistance from the FBI. In a social media statement, the department said the wounded man was a Venezuelan national who entered the United States illegally during the Biden administration and was subject to a final removal order. It said he was in stable condition and remained in federal custody.
Lincoln-Goldfinch, however, told the Texas Tribune that Perez had entered the United States legally. A law enforcement source cited by CNN described him as an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant.
Austin police said they had not been given detailed information by federal authorities. Davis said the department did not know the identity of the ICE officer involved.
Austin officials seek local involvement
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said he wants the city’s police department to participate in the investigation, with the Texas Rangers also involved.
Watson questioned whether an investigation conducted solely by federal immigration authorities would provide sufficient public confidence. He said he was angry about the shooting and noted that ICE activity in Austin had increased in recent weeks.
U.S. Representative Greg Casar, whose district includes parts of Austin, also called for greater transparency. He said he and others had warned about the consequences of an expanded ICE presence in the city.
Television footage from Sunday showed demonstrators gathering near a blue Toyota Corolla that had damage to its passenger-side door while ICE personnel remained in the area. Police later used tear gas as protests unfolded.
The shooting comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE operations nationwide as the Trump administration expands immigration enforcement.
Civil rights groups have criticized the federal crackdown, arguing that some enforcement actions raise concerns over due process and free-expression rights. The administration has defended its immigration policies as necessary for public safety and border enforcement.
Incident adds to scrutiny of ICE shootings
The Austin shooting is the latest in a series of incidents involving federal immigration officers this year.
ICE-related shootings in Minnesota, including the fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Renee Good, generated national controversy and renewed demands for greater transparency surrounding federal immigration operations.
Casar said the Austin investigation should establish a clear account of what happened, arguing that local authorities should have a role in determining the facts.
For now, key details—including what led to the foot pursuit, what happened immediately before the officer fired, and the identity of the ICE agent—remain unclear.
