On Sunday, September 20, 2026, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot 28‑year‑old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez during an encounter in the 7000 block of West Anderson Lane in North Austin.
The shooting has drawn attention from local officials, federal agencies and community members because it occurred amid a broader national debate over immigration enforcement. For readers of faith‑based news, the incident raises questions about the proper use of governmental authority and the dignity afforded to all people, regardless of legal status.
Garces Perez, a Venezuelan national who was working as a DoorDash driver, was pursued by ICE agents after they identified him as having a final order of removal. According to police reports, a brief foot pursuit turned into a vehicle chase under a highway overpass. The officer fired a single shot, striking Perez in the torso near his spine. He was transported to a local trauma center, where doctors reported he was in serious but stable condition and that the bullet remained lodged in his back.
After receiving emergency medical care, Perez was transferred to ICE custody and placed in a federal detention facility in Pearsall, Texas. His attorney, Kate Lincoln‑Goldfinch, has expressed concern that he has not received adequate pain medication and that his communication privileges have been limited. The Department of Homeland Security has disputed some of these claims, stating that Perez is receiving around‑the‑clock medical care, including pain management, and that he was provided a bed upon arrival at the detention center.
Both the Austin Police Department and the Texas Rangers have opened investigations into the shooting, with Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI providing assistance. Body‑camera footage released by Austin police shows officers assisting Perez out of his vehicle and securing him in handcuffs, countering earlier claims that ICE agents had forcibly removed him.
The incident sparked immediate public reaction. Demonstrators gathered near the scene, waving flags and demanding an independent investigation. More than one hundred members of Congress, led by Representative Greg Casar of Texas, sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security requesting that Garces Perez be released for medical treatment and that all evidence, including body‑camera recordings, be made public.
Federal officials, including DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin, have defended the agency’s actions, emphasizing that ICE was conducting a targeted vehicle stop based on the individual’s unlawful status. The department reiterated its commitment to enforcing immigration laws impartially and warned against “sanctuary” policies that it says undermine public safety.
The case will continue to be examined in court, with a hearing scheduled for September 30. As the investigation proceeds, the incident remains a focal point for discussions about law enforcement practices, immigrant rights, and the balance between national security and humanitarian concern.