Houston ICE shooting: Mexico President reacts to deadly shooting during news conference

HOUSTON - The reaction following the deadly ICE shooting in Houston has reached Mexico.

Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo addresses deadly Houston ICE shooting

During a news conference on Wednesday, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo addressed the shooting by saying, "Regardless there is another regrettable death of a compatriot in the United States due to detention issues, when their only fault is not having papers yet ...even after they were hired by an American company. So there's no reason for them to be in detention centers or use violence. So we are preparing legal measures, obviously more important."

The backstory:

According to ICE, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who was allegedly in the country illegally, was shot around 6:50 a.m. on Canal Street between S. Sgt. Macario Garcia Drive and Wayside Drive in the East End.

ICE says their officers were trying to conduct a vehicle stop "as part of a targeted enforcement operation to arrest an illegal alien."

ICE says Araujo, the driver, attempted to evade arrest.

"From information we are receiving, he rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, refused to follow multiple verbal commands, and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense," ICE said in a statement.

Araujo was shot in the abdomen, according to the Houston Fire Department. 

Araujo was taken to Ben Taub Hospital with CPR in progress. He was later pronounced dead from his injuries.

ICE says the FBI is leading the investigation.

"This is a developing situation, and we will update the public when more information is available," ICE said in a statement.

The other side:

The family of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, the League of Latin American Citizens and local lawmakers held a news conference Wednesday. 

Ronaldo Salgado, Lorenzo's son, gave an emotional statement to the press.

What they're saying:

Ronaldo took to Facebook after the shooting and said his father was picking up workers on his way to his construction job on Tuesday morning.

He says his father has been in the U.S. for nearly 35 years and was in the process of obtaining his permit through the legal process. He was married and had three sons.

During the press conference on Wednesday, Ronaldo remembered his father as a "hardworking family man" who "wanted nothing else in life but to provide for his wife and see his sons become great people."

"After nearly 35 years of working to give us the American Dream, he made the choice to begin the process of attaining his American Dream through a work permit. We dotted every I, crossed every T, filled every document, attended every appointment. He was close to obtaining his legal status," Ronaldo says.

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia noted that Salgado Araujo had no criminal record.

Several lawmakers joined Ronaldo in calling for a transparent investigation.

Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia said, "We need to know why Lorenzo was targeted. We need to know who authorized the operation. We need to know what threat agents believe they faced. Again, 35 years, Houston resident, no criminal record. What threat were they fearing? We need to know whether de-escalation was attempted. And we need to know when this family will get answers, when this community will get answers."

She added, "I’m not here to prejudge anything. I’m here to make sure that facts are not buried, that Lorenzo’s family deserves answers and my constituents deserve answers. We all Americans deserve answers."

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