ICE agent shoots and wounds man in Austin, Texas, officials say

On Sunday afternoon in Austin, Texas, a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot and wounded an unidentified man, who was subsequently taken to a hospital in a serious but stable condition. The incident occurred after a traffic stop on the north side of the capital city. Local authorities stated that the man was shot once in the torso.

The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, did not participate in the news conference and declined to comment further. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis informed reporters that city police officers were not involved in the operation or the shooting, which took place following the traffic stop. Mayor Kirk Watson, a Democrat, expressed his desire for the city's police department to be part of the investigation, stating that it would provide "clear, third-party eyes" in the process.

He also emphasized that the city's residents have a right to feel safe in their city and that a proper investigation would enhance credibility. Davis mentioned that the special investigation unit was at the scene but did not have many details to share at the time. Traffic was halted for a short time as a dark blue Toyota Corolla, bearing bullet holes, was towed away.

Several hundred protesters gathered at the scene, some of whom cursed at police officers and shouted anti-ICE slogans, while others supported the officers. Mayor Watson called for the city's police department to be involved in the investigation, citing the need for transparency. He also urged the end of ICE's enforcement surge in Austin, emphasizing that the city should not be burdened with such operations.

The shooting coincides with ICE's aggressive enforcement efforts across the country this summer, resulting in over 50,000 arrests in July and August. Two similar incidents involving ICE officers shooting and killing individuals occurred in July, one in Houston and another in Maine. The administration's enforcement efforts faced widespread criticism following the killings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minnesota last winter.