ICE agent shoots Venezuelan DoorDash driver in Austin, sparking protests and calls for a probe

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and wounded a Venezuelan man working as a DoorDash driver in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, city officials confirmed, prompting protests at the scene and demands for an independent investigation.

The man was identified by his family’s immigration lawyer, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28. He was shot once in the torso just before 1 p.m. local time at the intersection of U.S. 183 and Anderson Square in North Austin, and was in a serious but stable condition at a hospital, Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said. DoorDash told CNN that Perez was working as a dasher when he was shot.

Federal authorities have not said what led up to the shooting. Davis said there may have been a foot chase after a traffic stop but stressed the information was preliminary; Austin police were not involved. The Texas Department of Public Safety said troopers were called to assist in a vehicle pursuit but arrived after the shooting, and rendered medical aid.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a post on X that Perez was an undocumented Venezuelan with a final order of removal, was stable, and was “in federal custody pending removal”. Homeland Security Investigations will lead the inquiry with FBI assistance. Lincoln-Goldfinch first said she believed he had no criminal history and no final order of removal, but later told CNN she could not confirm his immigration status; she said his wife believed he was going through immigration proceedings and that he had previously held a valid work permit.

Representative Greg Casar, a Democrat whose district includes Austin, said it was unclear whether Perez was the target of an ICE operation and warned on X: “If ICE deports him, the key witness to their shooting disappears.” Democratic Mayor Kirk Watson said he was angry and wanted local police involved to provide “clear, third-party eyes”. The Travis County district attorney’s office requested an independent investigation with the DA and Austin police as “co-equal partners”, adding the incident may have included violations of state law.

Hours after the shooting, dozens of protesters gathered near the scene beside a highway overpass in 95-degree heat, some carrying anti-ICE signs and Mexican flags. The League of United Latin American Citizens called on Congress to establish independent oversight of immigration enforcement.

The shooting came two months after ICE agents fatally shot a Mexican man during a traffic stop in Houston. At least 20 people have been shot by on-duty ICE and Customs and Border Protection agents during the second Trump administration, eight fatally, before Sunday, according to a CNN analysis.

Sources

• CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/20/us/austin-texas-ice-shooting?cid=external-feeds_iluminar_meta
• AP News Summary: https://www.reflector.com/news/national/ap-news-summary-at-11-50-p-m-edt/article_06e32c52-0cc1-51f5-a445-8bfdeb9f7987.html
• New York Post: https://nypost.com/2026/09/20/us-news/ice-agent-shoots-and-wounds-venezuelan-migrant-in-austin-sparking-protests/
• Times of India: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/ice-officer-shoots-wounds-man-in-austin-protesters-demand-probe/articleshow/134377450.cms
• NDTV: https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/ice-agent-shoots-and-wounds-man-in-texas-us-officials-say-12074072
• New Indian Express: https://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2026/Sep/21/ice-agent-shoots-and-wounds-man-in-austin-texas-officials-say
• Saudi Gazette: https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/664721/world/locals-demand-answers-as-ice-agent-shoots-and-wounds-man-in-texas