Full Breakdown
ICE Shooting of Venezuelan Delivery Driver Sparks Medical and Legal Controversy
By Drooid · · How we work
Incident Overview
On a Sunday in north-Austin, 28-year-old Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan DoorDash driver, was shot by an ICE officer during a traffic stop. ICE agents in an unmarked truck sideswiped his blue Toyota, pursued him briefly, and an officer fired a single round that lodged near his spine. Garces Perez was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center, released a few hours later into ICE custody, and transferred to the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall, where he remains in a wheelchair with a bandaged back wound.
Background & Context
The shooting occurred amid a surge in ICE activity in Austin. Data from the Deportation Data Project show ICE made more than 1,000 arrests in Austin, Pflugerville and nearby cities during June-July, an 80 % increase from the prior year’s peak. Nearly two-thirds of those arrested had no criminal convictions. Garces Perez entered the United States in 2024 through the CBP One program; a missed immigration-court notice led to a final removal order.
Data & Statistics
- Arrests: > 1,000 ICE arrests in the Austin metro area (June–July).
- Increase: 80 % rise compared with the prior year’s highest monthly total.
- Criminal history: ? 66 % of those arrested had no criminal record.
Official Statements & Responses
- Acting ICE Director: Vowed that all field agents will be equipped with body-worn cameras by the end of August.
- Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX): Reported a specialist recommended surgery to remove the bullet.
- Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis: Stated APD was not involved but is assisting the investigation; body-camera footage from APD officers arrived minutes after the incident.
- Mayor Kirk Watson: Called for an independent investigation and noted hospital policy prevents family visitation for detained patients.
Criticism & Opposition
- Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch: Alleged Garces Perez was “sleeping on a cement floor” after release, received “no pain medication,” and was denied communication privileges.
- ACLU: Director Naureen Shah cited a pattern of excessive force and filed a $10 million claim alleging medical neglect at the Pearsall facility.
- Medical experts: Dr. Brian Elmore warned of risks when patients with lodged bullets are discharged into detention settings.
- Local officials: City council members and the Travis County District Attorney called for a joint investigation, citing concerns ICE may be violating state law.
On-the-Ground Reports
Garces Perez’s mother, Flor Perez, said her son told her in a video call, “They crashed into my car and shot me,” and later reported loss of sensation in his left arm after a second hospital visit.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Medical conditions: DHS says Garces Perez slept in a bed at the detention center; his attorney says he was placed on a concrete floor.
- Body-camera usage: ICE has not confirmed whether the shooting officer wore a body camera; APD footage does not capture the discharge, and ICE has not released internal video.
- Cause of the stop: DHS describes the incident as a “targeted vehicle stop” with “resisting officers,” while the attorney argues agents failed to identify themselves and used force after sideswiping the car.