ICE agent shoots man during foot chase in Austin, Texas

On Sunday, September 20, 2026, a 28-year-old Venezuelan national named Wilber Garces Perez was shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Austin, Texas. The incident occurred shortly before 1:00 p.m. following a brief foot pursuit. Perez, who suffered a gunshot wound to the chest that fractured his clavicle, remains in serious but stable condition. According to his attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, doctors could not remove the bullet because it is lodged near his spine. Perez is currently being held at an ICE detention center in Pearsall, Texas, where he faces further interrogation.

Austin Mayor Kirk Watson expressed deep frustration over the shooting, which took place amidst a reported escalation of federal immigration operations in the city. The Austin Police Department, led by Chief Lisa Davis, has launched an investigation into the circumstances of the shooting with the assistance of the Texas Rangers. Mayor Watson has demanded that local law enforcement be involved in the inquiry, citing concerns from local officials and advocacy groups regarding the impact of intensified federal presence. As of now, ICE has not publicly commented on the incident, while the legal proceedings and medical treatment for the injured man continue.