ICE shooting of Venezuelan driver sparks Austin protests and evidence demands
A US ICE agent shot and wounded Venezuelan DoorDash driver Wilbur Rafael Garces Perez in Austin, sparking protests and calls for body-camera footage and evidence.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Protests have taken place in Austin, Texas, after a US ICE agent shot and wounded a 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash delivery driver. The disturbances continued into the night after the shooting of Wilbur Rafael Garces Perez.
Local officials said Perez was shot in the torso and was in a serious but stable condition. His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, said he was later transferred from hospital to a detention centre with a bullet still in his back. She said he called his wife immediately after he was shot, shouting in pain and saying, 'they shot me.' She added that he has an active work permit and is now in ICE custody.
Tensions escalated earlier under a highway overpass in Austin, where protesters demanded answers. Some demonstrators said the shooting was part of a disturbing pattern that had to stop. Texas Congressman Greg Casar called on Homeland Security to preserve any and all evidence from the shooting and to release any body-camera video.
Local officials also said ICE detentions they were hearing about had surged recently, going from just a handful to several dozen within a few days. The incident has drawn public reaction and added to scrutiny of federal immigration operations.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, mapped by channel. Ordered by how many channels carried each claim.
| Claim | BBC News |
|---|---|
| A US ICE agent shot and wounded a 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash delivery driver in Austin, prompting protests; the driver was shot in the torso and later moved from hospital to a detention centre with a bullet still in his back. | |
| Texas Congressman Greg Casar called on Homeland Security to preserve evidence and release any body-camera video. |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
BBC News Now led with the Austin protests and the shooting of a Venezuelan delivery driver, drawing on a CBS partner report from Austin. It focused on the victim's injuries and detention, the demand for body-cam video, and a reported surge in ICE detentions. The segment also opened with unrelated discussion about media trust before turning to the story.
- “Protests have taken place in Austin and Texas after a U.S. ICE agent shot and wounded a 28-year-old Venezuelan DoorDash delivery driver.”
- “His attorney says he was shot in the torso and later transferred from hospital to a detention center with a bullet that was still in his back.”
- “Texas Congressman Greg Casar is demanding that Homeland Security preserve any and all evidence from the shooting and that they also release any body-cam video.”
Broadcast Timeline
News broadcasts tracked for this story, in time order.