A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and seriously wounded 28-year-old Venezuelan asylum seeker Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez in North Austin, Texas, on Sunday afternoon, September 20, 2026. The shooting occurred during a vehicle pursuit involving a blue Toyota Corolla as Garcés Pérez was working as a DoorDash delivery driver.
The Vehicle Pursuit and Shooting in North Austin
The incident unfolded around 1 p.m. on Sunday, September 20, 2026, on the north side of Austin, Texas. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the agency received a request for assistance from ICE for a vehicle pursuit involving a blue Toyota Corolla. A social media video verified by NBC News captured the sound of screeching tires and showed a person exiting a dark-colored SUV as a blue sedan stopped nearby, both vehicles facing one another.
At least three gunshots were recorded as the person approached the sedan and ran toward it while it slowly lurched forward. Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz stated at a news conference that Garcés Pérez sustained a gunshot wound to the torso and was transported to a local hospital in serious but stable condition. A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Public Safety, Sheridan Nolen, noted that state troopers arrived after the gunfire had already taken place and immediately began providing medical treatment to the driver alongside partner law enforcement agencies.
Conflicting Accounts and Legal Representation
Immigration attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch identified the wounded man as Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, a 28-year-old asylum seeker who entered the country through a parole program. Lincoln-Goldfinch stated that Garcés Pérez was working as a DoorDash food delivery driver at the time of the incident, a detail confirmed via email by a company spokesperson who noted the firm is investigating the matter.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security offered a different account of the victim’s legal status. A DHS spokesperson stated that Garcés Pérez illegally entered the country under the Biden administration and had a final order of removal
. The agency added that Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the FBI, will lead an ongoing investigation into the officer-involved shooting.
Hospital Release and Custody Disputes
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the man was stable and in federal custody pending removal from the United States. Lincoln-Goldfinch later stated that she learned he was transferred to the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, Texas, and expressed serious concerns that he was being interrogated while still suffering from his injuries.
Local Officials Demand Transparency and Oversight
Local and state leaders quickly mobilized following the shooting. Local police were neither involved in the operation nor the gunfire.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson arrived at the hospital several hours after the shooting. U.S. Rep. Greg Casar also addressed reporters at the scene.
