A man was seriously injured after being shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Sunday in Austin, Texas. The incident has prompted calls for a full and independent investigation.
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The man was shot in the torso and taken to a trauma center, where he remains in critical but stable condition. Authorities have not disclosed his identity or nationality.
The incident occurred early Sunday afternoon in north Austin. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the circumstances that led to the use of the firearm, as well as details of the ICE operation, remain unclear.
Local police did not take part in the ICE operation and were not at the scene of the shooting. Officers were directing traffic in the area, while the Austin Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit, which specializes in cases involving officers who discharge firearms, also joined the investigation.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not immediately provide further information about the incident.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson called for a full account of what happened and insisted that local police be involved in the investigation.
According to Watson, an investigation conducted solely by ICE is not sufficient, as Austin residents have the right to be informed about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
During the investigation, Austin Police are expected to work alongside the Texas Rangers and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).
Democratic Representative Greg Kazar, who represents part of Austin, also called for an independent investigation. He urged authorities to release footage from the agents’ body cameras and to take action if it is determined that any rules were violated.
The incident in Austin comes at a time when ICE operations and the use of deadly force by federal agents are facing increased scrutiny.
On July 7, an ICE agent fatally shot 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston. The agency said he attempted to flee, struck a federal vehicle and used his van to attack an agent, who fired in self-defense. The Department of Homeland Security later acknowledged that Salgado Araujo was not the initial target of the operation. The case remains under investigation.
Meanwhile, on July 13, a federal ICE agent fatally shot 25-year-old Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero in Biddeford, Maine. That incident is also being reviewed by the state attorney general’s office, which investigates cases involving the use of deadly force by police officers and federal agents.
The investigation into the Austin shooting is still in its early stages. Local authorities said further information is expected to be released as evidence continues to be collected and analyzed.
