On a Sunday afternoon in North Austin, a routine traffic stop escalated into a shooting involving a federal immigration officer. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 29-year-old Venezuelan delivery worker, was allegedly shot in the torso during a foot pursuit.
A single gunshot under the North Austin overpass
The confrontation began near 1:00 p.m. on Sunday when a U.S.. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer stopped a blue Toyota sedan. According to the report, the driver, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, fled on foot after his vehicle stalled, leading to a brief pursuit.. A single shot reportedly struck Perez in the back, causing a torso wound that required treatment at Dell Seton Medical Center.
Witnesses at the scene descriebd a chaotic environment following the discharge of the firearm. As the Daily Mail reported, a photo of the scene showed the blue Toyota with bullet holes in the passenger side door . While Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed that local officers did not fire the weapon, the presence of an ICE agent at the moment the person was shot on the ground was confirmed by witnesses through NPR affiliate KUT.
Protests involving Venezuelan flags and pepper spray
Public outcry erupted quickly as a crowd gathered near the highway overpass to protest the shooting. Demonstrators, many carrying Mexican and Venezuelan flags, engaged in a standoff with law enforcement. The situation escalated when some protesters began throwing rocks and water bottles at riot police, prompting a response from authorities.
Police utilized pepper spray and pepper balls to disperse the crowds that remained active until midnight. Local coverage highlighted the impact of these chemical agents on bystanders,including a 14-year-old boy and a 5-year-old girl who were seen attempting to wash the spray from their faces. This escalation turned a localized traffic incident into a significant civil disturbance in the Texas capital.
Greg Casar’s demand for an independent probe
Democratic Representative Greg Casar has called for an immediate release of body-camera footage and an independent investigation into the incident. Representing Texas's 30th congressional district, Casar suggested that this event follows a pattern of misconduct, specifically referencing the previous fatal shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis.
Local leadership has also voiced concerns regarding the transparency of the federal response. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson requested a "clear-eyed, third-party look" into the shooting, while Council member Mike Siegel noted reports of a civilian being handcuffed during the chaos. These calls for oversight come as analysts link recent ICE shootings to an expanded federal enforcement campaign.
The mystery of Perez's current detention location
Significant questions remain regarding the whereabouts and legal status of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez following his medical discharge. Although Perez was released from Dell Seton Medical Center around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday , he was immediately placed into ICE custody. His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, stated that the victim's family has not been informed of his precise location.
The lack of communication from federal authorities has left several critical details unverified. While the shooting occurred after a vehicle stall , it remains unclear if the ICE agent's use of force was a proportional response to the foot pursuit. Furthermore, federal officials have yet to issue a formal statement addressing the specific actions of the agent involved in the shooting.
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