Tension escalates in Texas: ICE officer turns Venezuelan youth into a hail of bullets

It was reported that an ICE officer in Austin, Texas, shot 28‑year‑old Venezuelan Wilber Rafael Garces Perez with a firearm while redirecting traffic. Perez, who was wounded by a single bullet to the body, was taken to hospital, and his condition was described as serious but stable. After the incident, an anti‑ICE protest was organized in the area.

Armed intervention in ICE operation

The incident occurred in northern Austin on Sunday afternoon. According to local officials, ICE teams intervened during a vehicle pursuit. The Texas Department of Public Safety stated that ICE requested assistance around 12:50, and that armed intervention had taken place when the teams arrived in the area.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said that the city police were not part of the operation or the armed intervention. It was reported that Perez was shot in the body and taken to hospital.

The wounded Venezuelan was taken under federal custody from the hospital.

Immigration attorney Kate Lincoln‑Goldfinch, who represents Perez's family, stated that the wounded man was a 28‑year‑old Venezuelan. According to the attorney, Perez was making a DoorDash delivery at the time of the incident.

Federal officials are presenting a different account of the incident, while there is a disagreement between parties regarding Perez's manner of entry into the United States and his immigration status. Perez's lawyer argues that he entered the United States through legal means and holds a valid work permit, whereas federal officials state that he entered the country illegally and that an expulsion order has been issued against him.

After Perez was discharged from the hospital, it was reported that he was placed under federal supervision.

The mayor requested an independent investigation.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson opposed the investigation being conducted solely by ICE and called for the city police to be included in the inquiry. Watson said the incident should be examined in all its aspects and independently.

The United States Department of Homeland Security announced that the investigation would be carried out by Homeland Security Investigations with FBI support. It is expected that Austin police and the Texas Rangers will also be involved in the review.

Protest against ICE at the scene.

In the area where the armed intervention took place, a large number of people gathered to hold an anti‑ICE protest. During the demonstration, tensions arose between security forces and protesters. According to local press, police later used pepper‑gas capsule‑like munitions on the crowd.

The incident in Austin reignited the debate over armed interventions involving ICE officers that has surfaced recently. Earlier in Texas, there had also been armed incidents involving ICE officers that ended in deaths.