Austin ICE shooting: Latest details about the victim

AUSTIN, Texas - We're learning new details about the man who was shot by an ICE agent in North Austin.

Latest on ICE shooting Austin

What they're saying:

Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch posted on her social media that she represents the family of the victim in the shooting on Sept. 20.

Lincoln-Goldfinch says the victim is Wilbur Rafael Garces Perez. She says Perez was working as a DoorDash driver and in the middle of a delivery when he was shot.

Homeland Security Investigations confirms that Perez is from Venezuela and had entered the country illegally. They say Perez had a final order of removal.

Perez is reportedly in stable condition and in federal custody, pending removal.

What happened in ICE shooting on Sept. 20?

The backstory:

It's still not clear exactly what happened during the law enforcement operation before the ICE agent opened fire in North Austin.

Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Rob Luckritz said emergency crews were notified of a reported shooting at about 12:56 p.m. in the 8000 block of Anderson Square.

Paramedics arrived within about 3 1/2 minutes and found an adult man with a gunshot wound. The man was transported to a local trauma center in serious but stable condition.

Luckritz said the patient was taken from the scene within nine minutes of EMS crews’ arrival.

APD Chief Lisa Davis said the shooting involved a federal agent and later confirmed she had been told the agent was with ICE.

Austin police were not involved in the shooting. Officers helped block roads and direct traffic near Research Boulevard and Anderson Square.

Davis said the Austin Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, which investigates officer-involved shootings, was at the scene.

She said she had not yet been briefed by federal authorities about the operation. Davis said she had heard there was a brief foot pursuit, but emphasized that the information was preliminary.

Local perspective:

Protests in response to the shooting started while FOX 7 Austin was on the scene and immigration agents deployed tear gas as protesters clashed with authorities. 

More protests continued throughout the night across the city.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said the city has a responsibility to investigate the shooting and provide answers to residents.

"I am very angry and extremely disappointed that a person was shot on the streets of Austin by ICE," Watson wrote in a post on X.

Watson said Austin police should be involved in an investigation that is "clear-eyed, as complete as possible, and independent."

At a City Hall news conference, Watson said he questioned whether an ICE-led investigation alone would be credible.

"Austinites have a right to know what happened," Watson said.

The Travis County District Attorney's office released this statement regarding the incident:

"A member of our community was shot by an ICE agent this afternoon. It is critical that all the facts come to light and that an independent investigation be completed. We are requesting that the Austin Police Department and our office, the Travis County District Attorney, be co-equal partners in the investigation. We further request cooperation from the federal government in giving us access to the evidence. As has occurred in other jurisdictions, it is possible that this incident included violations of state law."

What's next:

Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the FBI says it is leading the investigation.

The Austin Police Department and the Texas Rangers are expected to also conduct their own investigations.

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