ICE Agent Shoots and Wounds Man in Austin, Texas, Sparking Demands for Independent Probe

A federal immigration enforcement agent shot and wounded a man on the north side of Austin, Texas, on a Sunday afternoon, according to local authorities. The incident occurred shortly before 1 p.m. local time and has drawn immediate calls for transparency and an independent investigation from elected officials and community representatives.

Chief Robert Luckritz of Austin-Travis County EMS stated at a Sunday news conference that he believed the victim was struck once in the torso. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson noted that although the man's medical condition was serious, he remained in stable condition following the shooting.

Legal representation for the wounded individual identified him as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan national. Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch told CBS News that Garces Perez was working for DoorDash at the time of the event and had managed to call his wife from his vehicle while in severe distress. Delivery platform DoorDash confirmed that the man was actively engaged in a delivery assignment when the shooting took place and stated that the company was looking into the matter.

According to Lincoln-Goldfinch, Garces Perez was discharged from Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas later on Sunday and transferred into what her team believes is U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. The attorney expressed deep concern that family members had been kept in the dark, stating that officers held him for roughly six hours without providing his wife with meaningful information regarding his status, condition, or whereabouts, and alleged that law enforcement personnel ordered family members off the hospital property.

Federal law enforcement sources informed CBS News that ICE agents were attempting to apprehend a Venezuelan national living in the United States without legal status who was subject to an existing deportation order. Sources confirmed that the man sought by agents was Garces Perez. While Lincoln-Goldfinch noted that her client had entered the United States lawfully based on available information, she did not comment on his current legal standing.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis indicated that the shooting may have stemmed from a foot pursuit, though she emphasized that the details remained preliminary. Both Davis and Mayor Watson confirmed that local police officers were not involved in the incident, though local investigators responded to the scene and maintained communication with ICE's Homeland Security Investigations. Austin City Council member Mike Siegel alleged that an ICE officer rammed the victim's car before exiting a federal vehicle and discharging a firearm at least five times.

Multiple U.S. officials reported that Homeland Security Investigations would lead the ongoing inquiry into the shooting, with assistance from the FBI. This arrangement represents a notable shift from historical federal protocols, which typically positioned the FBI as the primary investigator for assaults on federal officers and potential civil rights violations involving the use of deadly force by law enforcement. HSI operates as a component of ICE and has not traditionally served as the principal lead agency for officer-involved shootings.

Elected officials swiftly reacted to the episode. U.S. Representative Greg Casar, who represents parts of Austin, took to social media to demand a full and independent investigation, the immediate public release of body camera footage, and accountability for any officer who may have violated the law. Mayor Watson expressed severe concern and frustration, noting that he was not surprised given prior enforcement incidents in other parts of the country, while questioning whether ICE possesses the credibility to investigate its own personnel.

James Talarico, a Democratic candidate in Texas's upcoming Senate race, echoed those sentiments in a public statement, emphasizing that the agency could not be trusted to report all facts independently and calling for comprehensive transparency. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not immediately respond to requests for additional details.

The Austin shooting follows a series of similar high-profile incidents involving ICE personnel across the country. In July, an ICE officer fatally shot 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston during a vehicle pursuit, and another enforcement shooting occurred in Maine involving a 25-year-old Colombian man named Johan Sebastián. These enforcement actions coincide with an ongoing administration push to execute mass deportation initiatives, which have drawn sustained public scrutiny and condemnation following earlier operational controversies.