An ICE agent fired a single shot that struck Venezuelan national Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in the torso during a traffic stop on Austin’s north side Sunday afternoon. The 28‑year‑old was rushed to a local hospital where he remains in serious but stable condition. A dark‑blue Toyota Corolla was found beneath an overpass, its passenger‑side door dented and bearing what police say are bullet‑holes.
Austin police were not involved in the arrest or the shooting, but the city’s special investigation unit was on the scene within minutes. Mayor Kirk Watson said the department should lead a third‑party review, arguing that an independent probe would restore public trust. He added that ICE should not conduct its own investigation alone.
Garces Perez’s family, represented by immigration lawyer Kate Lincoln‑Goldfinch, has struggled to obtain information from the hospital. The attorney posted a video on Instagram suggesting the man had no criminal record and no pending removal order, but later told AP that his current immigration status was unclear. A text from the lawyer to AP revealed that the victim was released into ICE custody a few hours before the shooting, with no update given to his wife.
The Travis County District Attorney’s office has formally requested that local police and prosecutors be included in the investigation, seeking access to evidence from the federal agency. Meanwhile, Representative Greg Casar called for transparency and urged the Biden administration to end the current ICE surge that saw more than 50,000 arrests in July and August. Casar said the shooting underscores the urgency of ending ICE enforcement in Austin.
The incident follows a string of high‑profile ICE shootings, including a fatal July fatality in Houston and a Maine case involving a Colombian national. The federal agency’s summer surge has drawn nationwide condemnation, and the latest event could prompt further scrutiny of ICE’s officer‑involved shooting protocols.