ICE agent shoots and wounds man in Austin, Texas, officials say
- On Sunday, September 20, 2026, a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and wounded 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan national, in North Austin. Perez was transported to a hospital in serious but stable condition.
- The shooting occurred amid a recent surge of ICE enforcement operations in Austin, where federal immigration arrests reached nearly 51,000 in August under President Donald Trump, marking a third consecutive monthly high.
- Accounts of the encounter conflict; Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis cites a brief foot pursuit, while Council Member Mike Siegel alleges the agent rammed the Toyota Corolla and fired five times. Physical evidence shows two bullet holes in the vehicle.
- Austin Mayor Kirk Watson and U.S. Rep. Greg Casar demanded an independent investigation and body camera footage release. Watson stated he is "angry" but "not surprised," insisting "Austinites have a right to know what happened."
- This incident joins a growing list of controversial encounters involving federal agents; Democratic lawmakers noted at least 22 shootings since Trump returned to office, with six fatal. Critics continue pressing for federal accountability and oversight.
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The event occurred after a vehicle stop and a brief foot chase
Texas shuts down rioters, Democrats fan the flames after ICE shooting
Radicals waving foreign flags and leftist signage flooded the streets of North Austin on Sunday following a nonfatal shooting involving a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and a Venezuelan national.As the sun set on a day full of anti-ICE rhetoric from Democratic officials, including Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, protesters turned violent, prompting a crackdown from Texas Department of Public Safety troopers.The shootingThe shooting t…
Wilber Perez, 28, on whom a deportation order was pending, was working when he was shot. Protests against ICE's action were repressed by the police.
The agency claims to be investigating the shooting with the help of the FBI.
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