Story perspectives

Austin ICE Shooting Prompts Independent Investigation Demand

By Drooid · Sep 24, 2026, 11:15 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

ICE Officer Shoots

ICE officer shot Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old DoorDash driver, in Austin on Sept. 20, 2026.
Garces Perez was hit in torso with a bullet that remains near his spine, causing pain.
Austin Council members Mike Siegel and Chito Vela demanded an independent investigation of the shooting.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Homeland Security Investigations leads the probe.
DHS plans to equip ICE officers with body cameras by September’s end.

Summary

Attorney Sues ICE

Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch filed a federal lawsuit demanding Wilber Garcés Pérez’s release from ICE detention.
DHS announced ICE will maintain enforcement operations in Austin despite the recent shooting.
An ICE officer’s body camera recorded partial footage of the incident, though it omitted the gunfire.
Lincoln-Goldfinch reported Garcés Pérez’s communication tablet was confiscated and his detention privileges revoked.

History

Historical Context

In 2014 Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti approved purchase of 7,000 body-worn cameras for the LAPD, beginning deployment in 2015 and supported by the ACLU for boosting transparency. The September 20, 2026 shooting of DoorDash driver Wilber Garcés Pérez by an ICE officer in Austin led DHS to announce a body-camera rollout, hoping to replicate the LAPD’s transparency gains.

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ICE Officer Shoots

ICE officer shot Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old DoorDash driver, in Austin on Sept. 20, 2026.
Garces Perez was hit in torso with a bullet that remains near his spine, causing pain.
Austin Council members Mike Siegel and Chito Vela demanded an independent investigation of the shooting.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Homeland Security Investigations leads the probe.
DHS plans to equip ICE officers with body cameras by September’s end.

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