ICE agent shot, wounded Venezuelan man, 28, during checkpoint operation in Austin

A 28-year-old Venezuelan citizen, identified by his family and legal representatives as Wilmer Rafael Garcés Pérez, was shot and wounded this Friday in north Austin, Texas, after being struck by gunfire from an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.

According to local press reports and witness accounts gathered in the area, the incident occurred shortly before 1:00 p.m. near a traffic intersection, when a federal agency pickup truck attempted to block the path of the sedan driven by the young man. According to eyewitnesses, the driver was shot while inside the car.

Austin Police Department officers and emergency medical services arrived at the scene minutes later to provide care and transport him by ambulance to a medical facility. Fox News reported that Garcés is in serious but stable condition.

Demands from City Hall and tension on the streets

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the outcome of the operation and called for a thorough investigation involving local and state agencies, as well as access to body camera footage from the officers involved.

Watson emphasized the need to clarify the facts transparently in order to provide answers to the community.

After news of the shooting spread, a group of protesters gathered near the site of the operation to condemn the actions of federal officers. The presence of the protesters led to clashes with security forces, who were forced to use tear gas to disperse the crowd and maintain control of the perimeter.

The incident occurred amid the intensification of enforcement and deportation operations carried out by the federal administration in various parts of the country, which has led immigrant communities without legal status to limit their movements on public streets in the face of increased inspections by immigration authorities.