Texas Governor Greg Abbott has said he is still “catching up on the details” of an Austin shooting involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer and a Venezuelan man.
Abbott made the brief comment on Tuesday, September 22, as he attended an affordability event in Gainesville, three days after Wilber Rafael Garces Perez was shot in North Austin.
Asked whether he had a view on the incident, the governor said the circumstances remained unclear and that there was not yet enough information to establish precisely what had happened or what the man’s current condition was.
“I’m catching up on the details,” Abbott said. “It seems like the details just remain sketchy. And so there’s not full information yet available about exactly what happened and what the status is right now, but we’ll work to stay on top of it.”
Investigation into Austin ICE shooting
Garces Perez, 28, was shot in the upper torso during an operation near Anderson Square at about 12.56pm on Sunday, according to local officials. Austin-Travis County emergency services said he was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition.
His immigration lawyer, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, said he had been delivering food for DoorDash when an unmarked vehicle sideswiped his car. Garces Perez has told his legal team that he did not realise the vehicle belonged to ICE, and that agents shot him after he made a U-turn.
ICE has said there was a foot pursuit, but the precise sequence of events has not been established publicly. Austin police were not involved in the shooting, although the department is expected to participate in the investigation alongside the Texas Rangers and federal authorities.
The Travis County district attorney’s office has called for an independent inquiry and asked to be made an equal partner with Austin police. It said federal authorities should provide access to evidence, adding that the incident could potentially involve violations of state law.
The Department of Homeland Security has said Homeland Security Investigations will lead the federal investigation with support from the FBI. Reports have also indicated that the ICE officer who fired the shot was not wearing a body camera, although the officer’s partner was reportedly recording.
Garces Perez was moved from hospital into federal custody and taken to the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, south-west of Austin. His lawyers say the bullet remains lodged near his spine and that he later required further medical treatment after reporting severe pain and loss of feeling.
Gina Hinojosa, a Democratic candidate for governor and Abbott’s political opponent, has demanded urgent medical care for Garces Perez, as well as greater transparency over the shooting and the conduct of federal officers.
Federal officials say Garces Perez is Venezuelan, entered the United States unlawfully and has a final order for removal. His lawyers dispute aspects of the government’s account and have urged officials to ensure that he receives medical attention while the circumstances of the shooting are examined.
