Who is Wilber Rafael Garces Perez? DoorDash Worker Shot by ICE in Austin
DHS said Garces Perez is an illegal alien. His lawyer says he is married to a woman with legal status in the U.S.
Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan man, was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent while working as a DoorDash delivery driver in Austin, Texas on Sunday. The incident occurred near Anderson Square and Research Boulevard, in the city's north side, before 1 p.m. local time. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed that city officers were not involved in the shooting.
Garces Perez was transported to Dell Seton Medical Center within nine minutes of EMS arrival and was listed in serious but stable condition. He called his wife from his car while "yelling in pain," according to her immigration attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch. DoorDash confirmed that Perez was delivering food for the company at the time of the shooting.
Garces Perez was released from the hospital at the University of Texas on Sunday night and was reportedly placed in ICE custody. Lincoln-Goldfinch stated that Garces Perez is married to a woman with legal status to be in the U.S., and entered the country lawfully, though her comments on his current immigration status were not specified.
A DHS spokesperson called Garces Perez an "illegal alien" and said that Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of the FBI, is leading the investigation into the officer-involved shooting of an illegal alien from Venezuela in Austin, TX.
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