A man in Austin, Texas was hospitalized due to a shooting by an officer from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The incident occurred on Sunday in North Austin following a brief chase. According to local officials, the shooting took place at 1 PM, and the injured man was transferred to the hospital in serious but stable condition.
Details of the Incident and the Injured Man's Condition
Officials stated that the injured man was struck by a bullet in the chest area. Currently, information regarding this incident is very preliminary. The name and age of the man have not been immediately released, but an immigration attorney representing his family identified him as Wiber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, and Venezuelan. Attorney Kate Lincoln Goldfinch stated in a video posted on her Instagram account that Wiber has no criminal record and there is no final order for his deportation.
Read more: Ed Sheeran Referenced the Gaza Crisis at His Concert
Local Officials' Reaction and Call for Independent Investigation
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed outrage over the shooting and called for a transparent and independent investigation into the incident. He emphasized that the people of Austin have the right to know what happened and should feel safe in their community. Additionally, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis stated that city police forces were not involved in the operation or shooting.
Watson further noted the significant increase in ICE operations in Austin, saying, "While I am angry and frustrated, I am not surprised. This has happened in other cities as well." He also requested the Austin Police Special Investigations Unit to investigate the matter and sought assistance from Texas Rangers.
Meanwhile, about 100 protesters gathered at the shooting site, demonstrating against ICE actions. The protest took place in front of a damaged Toyota Corolla with damage to the passenger side door. Texas Congressman Greg Casar also criticized ICE for a lack of transparency in similar cases, stating, "It is frightening that this terror has come to our doorstep." He added that he had predicted weeks ago that ICE operations could lead to a shooting.
Read more: Black Smoke Seen Near King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh · Tom Homan Announced ICE's Lack of Planning for Polling Place Inspections
