ICE officer shoots and wounds man in Austin, Texas, officials say

Key Points:

• A 28-year-old Venezuelan man, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, was hospitalized in serious but stable condition after being shot in the torso by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer following a traffic stop in Austin, Texas.
• The man’s family, represented by immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, claims he has no known criminal history or final removal order, and they have struggled to obtain information about his condition and location from the hospital.
• Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed local officers were not involved in the shooting, and the Department of Homeland Security did not participate in the news conference or provide details; the Austin mayor called for a police-led investigation to ensure transparency.
• Around 100 protesters gathered at the shooting site, expressing anger toward ICE and demanding safety and accountability, while local officials, including US Representative Greg Casar, called for transparency and questioned ICE’s increased enforcement presence in Austin.
• The incident occurred amid a record surge in ICE enforcement nationwide, with over 50,000 arrests monthly reported in July and August 2023.