Venezuelan DoorDash driver shot and wounded by ICE agent in Austin, Texas, officials say

Venezuelan DoorDash Driver Shot and Wounded by ICE Agent in Austin

Healfromzero.com – A Venezuelan DoorDash driver was shot and wounded by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in North Austin on Sunday, according to city officials. The incident near Research Boulevard and Anderson Square prompted questions about what led to the shooting and renewed criticism of federal immigration enforcement in Texas.

The driver was identified by immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch as 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez. DoorDash said he was completing deliveries when the confrontation occurred. City officials said he was shot in the torso.

Videos Show a Rapidly Escalating Scene

The shooting happened shortly before 1 p.m. near the busy North Austin intersection. A motorist livestreaming on Facebook recorded part of the incident after hearing tires screeching on Research Boulevard. The footage showed an SUV and a blue sedan before someone ran toward the sedan and gunfire was heard moments later.

Video recorded after the shooting appeared to show Garces Perez on the ground with his hands restrained behind his back. His shirt had been cut open, revealing what appeared to be a serious wound to his back.

Witness images and recordings also showed damage to a blue Toyota Corolla, including damage to the front passenger-side door and what appeared to be at least two bullet holes in the right rear window.

Federal and Local Officials Give Preliminary Accounts

The Department of Homeland Security said Garces Perez is an undocumented immigrant from Venezuela who had received a final removal order. The agency said he was in stable condition and in federal custody while removal proceedings continued.

Lincoln-Goldfinch said she could not confirm his immigration status. She said Garces Perez’s wife was unaware of a final removal order and believed he remained in the immigration process. Her office said he had previously held a valid work permit and, based on the information available to it, had entered the United States lawfully.

“Our immediate concern is ensuring that his family receives accurate and timely information and that appropriate access and communication are provided while the matter is being addressed,” Lincoln-Goldfinch said in a statement.

Federal officials have not publicly described the circumstances immediately preceding the ICE agent’s use of a firearm. Homeland Security Investigations is overseeing the federal inquiry with assistance from the FBI.

Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said initial information suggested there may have been a foot pursuit involving the ICE agent, while stressing that the details were preliminary. The Texas Department of Public Safety said troopers had been asked to help with a vehicle pursuit but that the shooting occurred before they arrived. Troopers and other officers provided medical aid at the scene.

Questions Follow Transfer to ICE Custody

Garces Perez was released from the hospital and transferred into ICE custody, U.S. Rep. Greg Casar said Sunday evening. Casar said deporting the Venezuelan DoorDash driver shot and wounded in Austin could hinder efforts to determine what happened.

“If ICE deports him, the key witness to their shooting disappears. He must not be removed from this country, and he must receive proper medical care,” Casar said.

Protesters gathered near the scene in opposition to President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. The Austin incident is at least the third shooting involving immigration agents in Texas since Trump began his second term.

Two months earlier, ICE agents fatally shot a Mexican man during a traffic stop in Houston. In Alamo, Texas, two U.S. citizen teenagers said immigration agents attacked them after they recorded an immigration stop. A separate case in Minnesota involved ICE officer Christian Castro, who was charged with making false statements about his shooting of a Venezuelan man; Castro pleaded not guilty and remains free on bond.

Austin ICE Shooting FAQ

Where did the shooting occur? Officials said it occurred near Research Boulevard and Anderson Square in North Austin, shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday.

What is known about the driver’s condition? City officials said Garces Perez was shot in the torso. DHS said he was stable, and Casar said he was later released from the hospital before being transferred to ICE custody.

Who is investigating? Homeland Security Investigations is leading the federal investigation with FBI assistance. Austin police and the Texas Department of Public Safety have also provided preliminary information about their involvement.

Have officials explained why the ICE agent fired? No detailed public account of the events leading to the shooting had been released. Local officials said early information indicated a possible foot pursuit, but emphasized that the facts remained preliminary.