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ICE agent shoots Venezuelan DoorDash driver in Austin

Austin, TexasPublished 21 Sep 2026

Rep. Greg Casar
Rep. Greg Casar

U.S. House of Representatives / Wikimedia Commons, Public domain · source

DHS says Wilber Rafael Garces Perez was in the country illegally with a final removal order; his lawyer says he entered lawfully with a work permit and was shot in the back.

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash driver Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in the torso in North Austin on Sunday, Sept. 20, 2026, after a traffic stop. DHS said he entered illegally and had a final order of removal; his lawyer said he entered lawfully, has a work permit, and was held at an ICE jail with a bullet still in his back. Austin’s mayor called for a third-party investigation; protests followed at the scene.

Shared facts

An ICE officer shot a man in Austin, Texas, on Sunday.

The shooting was at Anderson Square and U.S. 183 in North Austin.

The shooting followed a traffic stop.

Austin police said preliminary information indicated a brief foot pursuit before the shooting.

The man shot is Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan.

Garces Perez was making a DoorDash delivery when he encountered ICE.

Garces Perez was shot once in the torso.

Video showed a bullet wound on Garces Perez's back between the shoulder blades.

Officials said Garces Perez was in serious but stable condition.

Austin police were not involved in the shooting.

A blue Toyota Corolla at the scene had damage and apparent bullet holes.

Garces Perez's lawyer said he has no criminal history.

His lawyer said Garces Perez arrived from Venezuela about two years ago.

DHS said Homeland Security Investigations is leading the investigation with FBI assistance.

DHS said Garces Perez is stable and in federal custody pending removal.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said he was very angry that ICE shot a person on Austin streets.

Watson said he wants Austin police involved so the investigation has third-party eyes.

Watson said it would not be appropriate for ICE to investigate the shooting by itself.

Watson said Austin residents have a right to feel safe in their city.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the city of Austin deserves answers.

Davis said APD's Special Investigations Unit and the Texas Rangers will investigate.

Rep. Greg Casar called for an independent investigation and release of body-camera footage.

Casar said it is awful that this horror has come to Austin's doorstep.

Casar said ICE should end its enforcement surge in Austin.

About 100 protesters gathered at the shooting scene.

Garces Perez was released from the hospital into ICE custody.

Garces Perez's family was not given meaningful information about his whereabouts.

ICE made more than 50,000 arrests a month in July and August.

In July an ICE officer fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston.

In July an ICE officer shot Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine.

ICE agents fatally shot Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis in January.

Watson said authorities do not know whether the involved ICE agent has left the city.

A protester held a sign reading "Nobody is safe" and "ICE Nazi."

Disputed facts

Sources disagree on whether Garces Perez entered the United States illegally with a final removal order or entered lawfully with a work permit.

Fox News

ICE shooting rocks Austin as Democrat demands bodycam video, independent probe

Stepheny Price

Published 20 Sep 2026 accessed 21 Sep 2026

Facts

EMS was notified of the shooting at about 12:56 p.m. and arrived in less than five minutes.

Lincoln-Goldfinch said her team is working to obtain additional information and clarify the circumstances.

Mayor Watson stressed that the information available was extremely preliminary.

Authorities had not publicly disclosed information indicating Garces Perez fired a weapon.

Lincoln-Goldfinch is scheduled to host a 1 p.m. press conference with LULAC.

Casar said ICE has arrested 5-year-olds and now someone has been shot.

Opinion

Watson accused ICE of creating fear and chaos in Austin and other cities.

Casar wrote that over and over ICE has shot people and then lied about what happened.

Casar called the shooting part of a disturbing pattern and said ICE's conduct has got to stop.

Roy wrote that the war is the one being waged against Americans through mass legal and illegal immigration.

The Guardian

ICE agent shoots and wounds Venezuelan man at traffic stop in Austin, Texas

Published 20 Sep 2026 accessed 21 Sep 2026

Facts

Austin police arrived after the shooting and administered first aid, bystander video showed.

Nedavia Bolaños followed her husband out of their ice-cream store after they heard gunshots.

Bolaños' husband, who gave his name only as Carlos, rushed to the scene.

Opinion

Demonstrations at the scene were against the Trump administration's hardline anti-immigration campaign.

Bolaños said that in 40 years in the US she had never seen this kind of stuff.

Bolaños said that if she were not a citizen she would be living with this anguish in a nightmare.

Lincoln-Goldfinch said she is afraid he is not receiving medical care and that ICE will try to deport him.

Lincoln-Goldfinch said she is afraid Garces Perez is not stable.

Relatives told AP the Maine officer struggled with serious mental health issues and never should have been given a badge and gun.

Al Jazeera

ICE officer shoots and wounds man in Austin, Texas, officials say

Al Jazeera Staff and The Associated Press

Published 20 Sep 2026 accessed 21 Sep 2026

Facts

DHS did not participate in the news conference and did not immediately respond to requests for details.

Davis said she did not yet know the nationality of the person who was shot.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

Axios

ICE agent shoots immigrant in Austin, per local officials

Asher Price

Published 21 Sep 2026 accessed 21 Sep 2026

Facts

Austin police arrested some protesters at the shooting site after state troopers fired pepper balls into a crowd.

Local officials have been able to exert little power over ICE agents operating in major cities despite opposition.

Opinion

No opinion marked.

Newsweek

Who is Wilber Rafael Garces Perez? DoorDash Worker Shot by ICE in Austin

Published 21 Sep 2026 accessed 21 Sep 2026

Facts

Lincoln-Goldfinch said Garces Perez is held at Pearsall with a bullet still in his body, no pain medication, and slept on the floor.

DoorDash confirmed Garces Perez was making a delivery at the time of the shooting.

Lincoln-Goldfinch said Garces Perez was an asylum seeker who entered through a parole program.

Lincoln-Goldfinch told NPR that Garces Perez is married to a woman with legal status in the United States.

A passing driver's video shows ICE officers approaching Garces Perez's car.

A Facebook profile appearing to belong to Garces Perez says he comes from Yaritagua, Venezuela.

Rep. Greg Casar called on social media to prevent Garces Perez from being removed from the country.

Council members Fuentes, Velásquez and Vela signed a statement calling for ICE to leave Austin.

Lincoln-Goldfinch said Mayor Watson helped the wife and attorney get information and told them Garces Perez was stable.

The three men traveling with Salgado Araujo were detained by immigration authorities.

DHS said Salgado Araujo rammed an ICE vehicle and weaponized his van, prompting the officer to fire in self-defense.

Family members spoke about Brouillette's mental health struggles and alleged history of domestic abuse.

Opinion

Casar said that if ICE deports Garces Perez, the key witness to their shooting disappears.

The council members said ICE must stop terrorizing Austin communities.

Watson cited the rogue nature of ICE.

The council members said they have no confidence in an internal investigation from DHS or DOJ.

The council members said no federal agency is above scrutiny when community safety and rights are at stake.