21-09-2026
A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded a man during a traffic stop in Austin, Texas, on Sunday afternoon, according to local officials. The man was shot once in the torso and remained in serious but stable condition in hospital. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said local police were not involved in the operation or shooting, although the department’s special investigation unit was at the scene.
An immigration attorney representing the man’s family identified him as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan. Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch initially said she believed he had no criminal history or final order of removal, though she later acknowledged that she did not know his current immigration status. She also said the family had struggled to obtain information about his condition and location from the hospital.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called for the city police department to participate in the investigation, arguing that independent involvement would provide “clear, third-party eyes.” He said ICE should not investigate the shooting alone and expressed hope that the federal agent involved would remain in the city and state. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not attend the city’s news conference and had not responded to requests for information.
Approximately 100 protesters gathered at the shooting site amid a large law enforcement presence. Demonstrators criticized officers and ICE, while US Representative Greg Casar called for transparency and urged ICE to end its enforcement surge in Austin. The incident follows a nationwide increase in ICE activity, with the agency recording more than 50,000 arrests per month in July and August. In July, an ICE officer fatally shot a Houston man, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, after federal agents pursued him in unmarked vehicles.
Entities: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Austin, Texas, Austin Police Department, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-09-2026
A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded a man during a traffic stop in Austin, Texas, on Sunday afternoon, according to local officials. The man was shot once in the torso and remained in serious but stable condition at an Austin hospital. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said city police were not involved in either the operation or the shooting, but the department’s special investigation unit was at the scene. She said officials had few details and did not yet know the injured man’s nationality.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called for the city police department to participate in the investigation, arguing that an independent local role would provide “clear, third-party eyes.” Watson said ICE should not investigate the shooting by itself and expressed hope that the federal agent involved would remain in Austin and co-operate with authorities. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, had not immediately provided details.
The shooting drew a large law-enforcement presence and about 100 protesters. Demonstrators criticized police and ICE, while some passing motorists honked in support. U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, a Democrat representing parts of Austin, also demanded transparency and said ICE should end its enforcement surge in the city.
The incident occurred amid an unprecedented increase in ICE enforcement under the Trump administration’s mass-deportation efforts. ICE recorded more than 50,000 arrests per month in July and August, the first time that level had been reached. The Austin shooting follows other incidents involving ICE officers, including the fatal July shooting of Houston construction worker Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and the shooting of Colombian man Johan Sebastián in Maine. The article places these cases within broader national controversy surrounding federal immigration enforcement and previous officer-involved deaths in Minnesota.
Entities: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Austin, Texas, Austin Police Department, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-09-2026
A man was seriously wounded in Austin, Texas, after being shot by an officer from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during a brief foot pursuit on the city’s north side. Austin officials said the man suffered a gunshot wound to his torso shortly before 1 p.m. local time and was in serious but stable condition. The circumstances of the shooting remain unclear, and officials emphasized that the information available was preliminary. Austin police were not involved in the operation or shooting.
An immigration attorney representing the man’s family identified him as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan. Attorney Kate Lincoln Goldfinch said she believed he had no criminal history and no final order for removal, although she later acknowledged that she did not know his current immigration status. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security had not issued statements about the incident at the time of publication.
Around 100 protesters gathered near the shooting site to demonstrate against ICE. A damaged blue Toyota Corolla was also present at the scene and was later towed away, although the article does not establish its connection to the shooting.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson criticized what he described as the “rogue” nature of ICE and called for an independent, transparent investigation involving the Austin Police Department. He said ICE operations in Austin had increased significantly and almost overnight. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the department’s Special Investigations Unit had been deployed, while the Texas Rangers were also asked to assist.
US Representative Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat, likewise demanded transparency and accused ICE of failing to provide truthful accounts of shootings in other cities. He said local officials had warned that the recent ICE surge could result in someone being shot. The incident comes amid a broader immigration enforcement crackdown by President Donald Trump’s Republican administration.
Entities: Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, Kirk Watson, Lisa Davis, Kate Lincoln Goldfinch, Greg Casar • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-09-2026
France 24 reports that protests broke out in Austin, Texas, after a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded a man during a traffic stop. The injured man was hospitalized and was described as being in serious but stable condition when the report was published. Anti-ICE protesters quickly gathered at the scene, indicating an immediate public reaction to the use of force and to the involvement of federal immigration authorities.
Austin’s police chief said that local police officers were not involved in the shooting. This clarification distinguishes the incident from an action by the Austin Police Department and identifies the reported shooter as an ICE officer. The brief report does not provide the identities of the injured man or the officer, explain why the traffic stop occurred, describe what led to the shooting, or indicate whether any investigation or legal proceedings had begun.
The story, presented as a short video report by Ellen Gainsford, focuses on the shooting, the victim’s medical condition, the subsequent protests, and the separation between federal immigration enforcement and local policing. The incident reflects ongoing tensions surrounding ICE operations and immigration enforcement in the United States, particularly when enforcement actions lead to serious injury and public demonstrations. France 24 categorizes the report under the Americas section and uses the keywords immigration, Texas, and USA. The report was issued on September 21, 2026, at 11:03.
Entities: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Austin, Texas, United States, Ellen Gainsford, Austin police chief • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-09-2026
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded a man in Austin, Texas, during a brief foot pursuit shortly before 1 p.m. on Sunday, according to city officials and Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. The man was struck in the torso and transported to a local hospital, where he was reported to be in serious but stable condition.
Immigration lawyer Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch identified the wounded man to multiple news organizations as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28. She said on social media that she was representing his family. According to Lincoln-Goldfinch, Garces Perez was released from the hospital later that day and appeared to be in ICE custody.
The article’s headline and subheadline indicate that the man remained in custody pending removal proceedings and that Austin’s mayor was demanding local police involvement in the investigation into the shooting. The report provides few details about what led to the foot pursuit, the circumstances of the shooting, or whether the ICE officer faced any disciplinary or legal action. The incident raises questions about the role of federal immigration agents in local law-enforcement matters and the oversight of shootings involving federal personnel. The report is attributed to Reuters and relies primarily on statements from city officials, police leadership, and the victim’s immigration lawyer.
Entities: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Austin, Texas, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, Lisa Davis, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-09-2026
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded a man during a brief foot pursuit in Austin, Texas, on September 20, according to city officials. The man was shot in the torso shortly before 1 p.m. local time and transported to a hospital, where he was reported to be in serious but stable condition. Immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch identified the victim to several news organizations as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, and said she represented his family. She later said Perez was released from the hospital into what appeared to be ICE custody. A law-enforcement source told CNN that Perez is an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant, while Lincoln-Goldfinch told the Texas Tribune that he had entered the United States legally. ICE and the US Department of Homeland Security did not immediately comment. Austin police officials said they did not know the identities of either the victim or the ICE agent involved, and Police Chief Lisa Davis said she had received few details from federal authorities. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called for city police and the Texas Rangers to participate in the investigation, arguing that an ICE-only inquiry would lack credibility. Watson said ICE had recently increased detention activity in Austin and expressed anger about the shooting. US Representative Greg Casar likewise linked the incident to the recent federal immigration enforcement surge, saying he and others had warned that someone could be shot. The incident occurred amid broader criticism of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, including concerns about free speech, due process, transparency and the conduct of federal agents. The report notes that federal immigration officials have been involved in several shootings this year, including the deaths of two US citizens in Minnesota. Casar cited those incidents and more than 50 deaths in ICE detention since President Donald Trump returned to office in 2025 as reasons for demanding an independent investigation and accurate public information.
Entities: Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Austin, Texas, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, Lisa Davis • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-09-2026
A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded a 28-year-old Venezuelan man, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, in Austin, Texas, during a brief foot pursuit following a traffic stop in northern Austin. Garces Perez was shot once in the torso and was reported to be in serious but stable condition. Immigration attorney Kate Lincoln Goldfinch said his family initially had difficulty obtaining information from the hospital and that his wife was later told he had been released into ICE custody. His current immigration status was not immediately clear.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the incident remained under preliminary investigation and emphasized that Austin police were not involved in the shooting, although local investigators were at the scene. Mayor Kirk Watson criticized the shooting and the recent increase in ICE activity in the city. He argued that Austin police and other local authorities should participate in the investigation instead of leaving it solely to ICE.
US Representative Greg Casar called for an independent investigation, the release of all footage, and accountability for any wrongdoing. The Travis County district attorney’s office also requested that local police and prosecutors be allowed to participate and access evidence held by federal authorities. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, had not immediately provided details.
About 100 protesters gathered near the shooting site while a large law-enforcement presence remained in the area. A damaged Toyota Corolla with apparent bullet holes was towed away. The incident follows other shootings involving immigration agents, including the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston in July and the shooting of a Colombian man in Maine. The article also places the Austin shooting within broader criticism of the administration’s immigration crackdown following deaths in Minnesota.
Entities: US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Austin, Texas, Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, Kate Lincoln Goldfinch, Lisa Davis • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
21-09-2026
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan man, during a law-enforcement operation in Austin, Texas, on Sunday. Garcés Pérez was shot in the torso and hospitalized in serious but stable condition. His lawyer said he had entered the United States approximately two years earlier and was working as a DoorDash delivery driver when he encountered ICE agents.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Homeland Security Investigations, assisted by the FBI, is investigating the shooting. DHS alleged that Garcés Pérez entered the country illegally during the Biden administration and had a final order of removal. The agency said he remained in federal custody pending removal. Officials have not publicly clarified the circumstances that led to the shooting.
Austin police said they were not involved in the operation or the shooting. Local officers arrived afterward and provided first aid. The incident drew dozens of protesters to the scene, with the crowd reportedly growing to roughly 100 people. Some demonstrators carried Mexican and Guatemalan flags and signs calling for ICE to leave Austin, reflecting broader opposition to the Trump administration’s immigration-enforcement policies.
Texas Congressman Greg Casar called for a full and immediate investigation and requested the release of body-camera footage. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson also called for transparency and said the city should participate in the investigation. Local officials and lawmakers urged an independent inquiry.
The shooting occurred amid increased scrutiny of ICE operations following several incidents involving immigration agents. The Trump administration has defended its expanded enforcement campaign as necessary to protect public safety and fulfill its pledge to increase deportations, while the shooting has intensified concerns about accountability and federal immigration tactics.
Entities: Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, Austin, Texas, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
