ICE officer who shot man in Austin was issued a body cam but wasn’t wearing it

Key Points:

• An ICE officer in Austin shot Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, a Venezuelan DoorDash driver, leaving a bullet lodged in his back; the officer was issued a body camera but was not wearing it during the shooting, while another officer’s body camera recorded partial footage excluding the shooting moment.
• Garcés Pérez was hospitalized and then taken into ICE custody, where he has experienced worsening medical issues, including loss of arm movement; his attorney and Texas lawmakers are advocating for his immediate release and better medical care.
• A federal judge temporarily blocked Garcés Pérez’s deportation proceedings, and the Travis County DA’s office requested he remain in the U.S. as a material witness in the criminal investigation of the shooting.
• Austin Police are investigating the incident, seeking public help for video evidence, and have released footage from an off-duty officer’s dash cam capturing part of the encounter and gunshots.
• Garcés Pérez’s attorney stated he entered the U.S. legally seeking asylum but was ordered deported in absentia due to a missed court notice; ICE has not accused him of using his vehicle as a weapon, differing from previous cases.