- A federal immigration officer shot Wilber Rafael Garces Perez during a traffic stop in North Austin.
- Perez says a bullet remains near his spine; he reports left-side paralysis and severe pain in detention.
- DHS cites a final removal order, while his lawyer disputes the official account and federal agencies investigate.
A federal immigration officer shot Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash driver, during a traffic stop in Austin. He says he remains detained with a bullet lodged in his back.
By Monday, he was being held at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall. He has reported left-side paralysis, severe pain and inadequate medical care.
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The shooting happened in North Austin, near U.S. Highway 183 and Anderson Square. ICE agents had stopped him while checking license plates, according to the federal account.
Perez’s lawyer disputes what happened next. The accounts differ.
Federal officials said agents found an outstanding deportation order during the stop. They said Perez drove away, prompting a chase that ended with an officer shooting him.
Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said the city was notified at about 12:56 p.m. Officials said Perez was shot once in the torso and taken to Dell Seton Medical Center in serious but stable condition.
His lawyer challenges the shooting and describes his pain
Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch said Perez was delivering food when he was shot. She disputes the officers’ account and said the use of force was unwarranted.
“Regardless of his status, the use of force was unwarranted. As far as we understand, he was here legally.”
Perez said he was “in a lot of pain” and still had the bullet in his back. Doctors did not remove it because it was close to his spine, he said.
Lincoln-Goldfinch also said he was transferred from the hospital to detention without pain medication and before receiving the care he needed. He has reported left-side paralysis.
She said Perez entered the United States legally in 2024 through the CBP One app and applied for asylum. He later missed a court hearing, she said, after notice went to the wrong address.
DHS cites a removal order while federal investigators examine the shooting
The Department of Homeland Security said Perez “had a final order of removal” and was “in federal custody pending removal.” The department described him as an “illegal alien from Venezuela” who “illegally entered our country under the Biden administration.”
Those statements differ from Lincoln-Goldfinch’s account of his entry and asylum application. DHS has not provided further details or responded to requests for comment.
Homeland Security Investigations is leading the officer-involved shooting investigation, with assistance from the FBI, DHS said. The inquiry follows a shooting whose account is disputed by Perez’s attorney.
Austin leaders and demonstrators demand answers
About 100 people gathered in Austin on Sunday after the shooting. Local officials said they were seeking answers from federal authorities.
Mayor Kirk Watson said he was “very angry” over the shooting. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said city police were not involved.
The incident comes amid increased ICE enforcement during President Donald Trump's second term. Federal officers have been involved in multiple shootings this year, resulting in at least four fatalities.
DHS says Perez remains in custody pending removal as the federal investigation proceeds.
