ICE officer shoots DoorDash driver in Austin, sparking protests and calls for investigation

On Sunday afternoon an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot Venezuelan national Wilber Rafael Garces Perez while he was delivering for DoorDash at the intersection of U.S. 183 and Anderson Square in North Austin. The bullet struck his torso; he was rushed to a hospital and remains in serious but stable condition. City officials, including Mayor Kirk Watson and Police Chief Lisa Davis, expressed anger, sought answers from federal authorities, and urged a third-party investigation rather than an ICE-led one.

The Department of Homeland Security posted that the victim is an illegal alien with a final removal order, a description contested by his attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, who says he entered legally and previously held a valid work permit. The shooting triggered a protest outside the site, with participants displaying signs demanding justice, while Rep. Greg Casar called for an end to ICE’s aggressive presence in the city. The incident adds to a string of recent ICE-related shootings tied to the Trump administration’s mass-deportation agenda.