A federal agent walks past a vehicle with a damaged door and holes in the window after a man was shot in his vehicle by an ICE officer. (AP Photo)
Austin police were not involved in the operation or the shooting, according to Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis. Local officers arrived after the shooting and provided first aid to the wounded man.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the FBI, is leading the investigation into the shooting. DHS said the Venezuelan man had entered the US illegally under the Biden administration and had a final order of removal. The agency said he was in stable condition and remained in federal custody pending removal. Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called for transparency and said the city should be involved in the investigation, while local officials and lawmakers called for an independent probe.
Texas Congressman Greg Casar called for a full and immediate investigation and demanded the release of body-camera footage. The shooting comes amid heightened scrutiny of ICE operations across the US following several shootings involving immigration agents. The Trump administration has defended its expanded immigration enforcement campaign as necessary for public safety and for carrying out its promise of increased deportations. The circumstances that led to the shooting remained unclear.