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ICE officer shoots and wounds man during Austin enforcement stop

Federal authorities are investigating the shooting as local leaders question enforcement tactics and demand transparency.

The short version

  • An ICE officer shot and injured Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan national, during a Sunday encounter in Austin, Texas.[ABC News · CBS News]
  • The Department of Homeland Security stated Garces Perez has a final removal order and is in federal custody in stable condition, while an attorney representing his family disputed knowledge of such an order.[The Hill · ABC News]
  • Austin officials, including the mayor and local police chief, confirmed city police were not involved and demanded accountability and an end to the federal enforcement surge.[ABC News · The Washington Sun]
  • Homeland Security Investigations is leading the inquiry into the shooting with assistance from the FBI.[ABC News]

Key facts

  • An ICE agent shot and wounded a man in Austin on Sunday afternoon, with local police confirming they were not involved.[ABC News]
  • The wounded individual was identified by a family attorney as 28-year-old Venezuelan national Wilber Rafael Garces Perez.[CBS News]
  • Homeland Security Investigations is probing the shooting with assistance from the FBI.[The Hill · ABC News]
  • The Department of Homeland Security stated that the man is in stable condition and in federal custody pending deportation.[The Hill]
  • Austin City Councilman Mike Siegel alleged that the ICE officer rammed the man's vehicle, exited, and discharged a weapon at least five times.[The Washington Sun]

What remains uncertain

  • The immigration and legal background of Garces Perez remains disputed; DHS stated he has an active final order of removal, while attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch initially believed he had no criminal background or deportation order before clarifying she did not know his current status.[ABC News]

Sources

Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.