Graffiti and ICE Shooting Ignite Heated Debate in Austin

A masked individual spray-painted a bridge pillar near Anderson Square and Research Boulevard in Austin with messages including “Kill Donald Trump,” “F*** ICE,” and “Kill all pedos.” The graffiti appeared at the site where Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan asylum seeker, was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent while delivering food for DoorDash. Garces Perez was taken to a hospital, released into ICE custody with a bullet still lodged in his back, and now suffers left-side paralysis. The incident has become a flashpoint for protests and online backlash.

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Garces Perez entered the United States through a parole program and held a valid work permit, according to his attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch. He was reportedly sideswiped twice by ICE officers in an unmarked vehicle before being shot during a law-enforcement operation. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis announced a multi-agency investigation, emphasizing that evidence, not speculation, will guide the inquiry.

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• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson: Garces Perez is an illegal alien with a final removal order.

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• Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch: Her client entered legally, has no criminal record, and was shot despite a work permit; the address change contributed to the deportation issue.

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• Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis: The department is gathering physical evidence, reviewing video, and interviewing witnesses, and will release updates as information becomes legally releasable.

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• Mayor Kirk Watson (Democrat): Expressed anger and disappointment, calling the shooting “lawlessness” and urging a transparent, third-party investigation.

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• State Rep. James Talarico (Democrat, Senate candidate): Demanded an independent investigation and full release of all video footage.

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Right-wing commentators reacted sharply to the graffiti. Turning Point USA spokesperson Andrew Kolvet accused legacy media of portraying the graffiti artists as “loving, tolerant” individuals. Conservative influencer Nick Sortor called for aggressive retaliation against federal agents, stating that such actions “should not be tolerated.”

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• “THIS SHOULD NOT BE TOLERATED! Federal agents should be SWARMING their houses tonight. NO MERCY!” — Nick Sortor

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• “Wilber came to this country legally. He has no criminal record. An ICE agent shot him anyway. He slept on a prison cell floor with a bullet still lodged in his back. He can’t move the left side of his body. This isn’t law enforcement. It’s lawlessness.” — Austin Mayor Kirk Watson

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