Austin erupts in protest after an ICE agent shoots a Venezuelan delivery driver, leaving city officials demanding answers
Another ICE shooting.
Austin has become the latest flashpoint in a series of heated immigration enforcement encounters. Protesters filled the streets on Sunday, September 20, 2026, after an ICE agent shot and wounded a man in the Texas capital. The incident occurred just before 1 p.m. local time, per BBC. The victim is Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan man who was working as a DoorDash delivery driver at the time of the shooting.
The situation unfolded when an unmarked black truck sideswiped the vehicle driven by Pérez. His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, explained that he did not know the truck belonged to ICE. He attempted to make a U-turn under a highway. The truck chased him and sideswiped him a second time. Agents then exited the vehicle and shot him in the back of the neck before pulling him from his car.
A social media video verified by NBC News captured the sound of tires screeching. The footage shows a person exiting a dark-colored SUV as a blue sedan is stopped nearby. The sedan appears to show damage on the passenger side. At least three gunshots are audible as an individual approaches the sedan. The vehicle lurches forward slowly before coming to a stop at an intersection.
Another video shows the blue sedan with its driver-side door open
Garcés Pérez is seen hunched over in the seat while clutching his left upper chest near his shoulder. Multiple law enforcement officers gathered around the vehicle. The person filming the scene asked why the officer had shot him. The officers simply told the witness that an ambulance was on the way.
The footage reveals Pérez being removed from the car and handcuffed behind his back. Agents forced him to sit on the ground while a large bloodstain became visible on his back. Officers cut open his shirt to reveal a bullet hole. In the video, the witness states in Spanish that the agents shot him because he did not want to stop his vehicle.
Pérez spoke from immigration detention on Monday. He remains held at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas. He stated that he is in significant pain and still has a bullet lodged in his back. Pérez reported that he was shot near the clavicle and has not received necessary medical attention. His legal team and advocates allege that he was moved from a hospital into federal custody within four hours of the shooting.
Lincoln-Goldfinch reported that she and Pérez’ wife were escorted from the hospital grounds after being told he was not there. She said they were treated as trespassers by the officers present. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson claimed late Sunday that Pérez was in stable condition. The agency maintained that he is in federal custody pending removal from the country.
According to his attorney, Garcés Pérez entered the country legally to seek asylum
Lincoln-Goldfinch noted that a notice to appear in court was sent to an old address after he moved, which caused him to miss his hearing. He was subsequently ordered deported in absentia. A senior administration official confirmed that he had no criminal history beyond being in the country illegally.
Dozens of demonstrators gathered near the scene on Sunday to demand that ICE leave Austin. Some protesters waved the flags of Mexico and Guatemala. They stood across the street from a blue Toyota Corolla that sustained visible damage to the passenger-side door. ICE agents remained on the scene throughout the protest.
Mayor Kirk Watson expressed his frustration during a media briefing on Sunday. He stated that residents have a right to know the truth and a right to feel safe in their city. Watson noted that he was pleased the city will be involved in the investigation. He also mentioned that ICE operations have surged in Austin in recent weeks.
Texas Congressman Greg Casar has demanded a full and immediate independent investigation. He also called for the release of all body camera footage. He stated that the federal government should not be allowed to shoot an individual and then disappear them from the country to avoid accountability. Casar is pushing for Garcés Pérez to be released to receive proper medical care.
The shooting follows a trend of heightened immigration enforcement across the country
ICE made more than 50,000 arrests a month during July and August. This marked the first time in the agency’s history that such numbers were reached. The agency has faced intense scrutiny after several deadly encounters.
Two months ago, an ICE officer fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston during a traffic stop. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claimed he attempted to run over agents, though no evidence has been provided to support that assertion. A week later, another officer shot and killed Johan Sebastián Durán Guerrero in Maine following a traffic stop. In both cases, the men were not the intended targets of the operations.
The DHS has confirmed it is investigating the Austin shooting. However, it has not clarified if the agent involved was wearing a body camera. Activists continue to argue that the current administration has violated due process during these crackdowns. Democrats are calling for mandatory body cameras and policies that prevent agents from concealing their faces.
Earlier this month, the Department of Justice charged an ICE agent with lying about a non-fatal shooting involving a Venezuelan migrant in Minnesota. This was a rare instance of the federal government accusing one of its own agents of breaking the law on the job. The situation in Austin remains unresolved as officials and the public await more information.
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