Austin man shot by ICE still in pain, bullet lodged in his back, ahead of San Antonio hearing

Key Points:

• Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, shot by an ICE officer in Austin on Sept. 20, remains in significant pain with a bullet lodged in his body and a fractured clavicle, raising concerns about infection and permanent damage without surgery.
• Garces Perez is currently detained at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, and his attorneys are seeking his release ahead of a federal habeas hearing scheduled for Sept. 30 in San Antonio.
• Despite rumors of his death, Garces Perez is alive and has communicated with his attorney via video; his condition was confirmed by a representative of Rep. Joaquin Castro.
• The shooting and detention have sparked protests in Austin and Pearsall, though his legal team has requested no gatherings at the federal courthouse during the hearing, encouraging peaceful vigils elsewhere.
• The incident began with a vehicle pursuit by ICE agents while Garces Perez was working as a DoorDash driver; video shows the pursuit before the officer shot him in the back, with disputes over whether he was evading arrest and whether he received adequate medical care post-shooting.