Wilber Rafael Garces Perez remains detained with a bullet in his back, four days after being shot in Austin, his mother told Reuters. She said a video call moments after the shooting was their last conversation; how the shooting unfolded remains unclear.
Garces Perez said he was delivering food when ICE agents sideswiped his car and did not identify themselves or activate emergency lights until after the collision. ICE has not provided its account or explained why he was shot. DHS said he was the subject of a “targeted vehicle stop” and that resisting officers and evading arrest were dangerous. Videos do not show the shooting but show him injured in the car; a person familiar with the incident said the shooter was not wearing a body camera.
After visiting him Wednesday, Democratic Rep. Greg Casar said the wound was packed with gauze that filled with blood and had to be changed two or three times daily, causing intense pain. DHS said Garces Perez was receiving medical care around the clock. His attorneys have petitioned for his release so he can participate in the shooting investigation and pursue legal status; his first hearing before a federal immigration judge is set for next Wednesday.
