An Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agent opened fire on a Venezuelan national in Austin, Texas, on Sunday, leaving the man wounded and prompting a multi-agency investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
According to local officials and eyewitness accounts gathered by KVUE, the incident occurred in a residential neighborhood in East Austin shortly after noon. The agent, whose identity has not yet been released pending notification of family members, was reportedly conducting what authorities described as a routine immigration investigation when the confrontation escalated. Details about whether the wounded individual was armed or posed an immediate threat remain unclear, and ICE has not provided a full account of the events leading to the discharge of the firearm.
The injured man, identified by relatives as 32-year-old Jesús Alberto Pérez, was transported to Dell Seton Medical Center at the University of Texas with gunshot wounds to the torso. Hospital sources, speaking on condition of anonymity because the patient remains under treatment, indicated that his condition is stable but serious. Pérez holds Venezuelan citizenship and has been living in the United States for approximately four years, according to family members who arrived at the hospital shortly after the shooting.
Austin Police Department officers responded to the scene within minutes and temporarily cordoned off several city blocks while investigators from the APD Special Operations Unit, the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, and federal authorities collected evidence. Crime scene technicians spent hours documenting bullet casings, shell fragments, and potential blood spatter patterns near the intersection of East 12th Street and Chicon Avenue, a predominantly Latino neighborhood where residents expressed shock at the violence.
“I was inside my house when I heard the shots,” said MarÃa González, a neighbor who requested anonymity pending the ongoing investigation. “At first I thought it was fireworks, but then I realized it was gunfire. When I looked outside, I saw a man on the ground and multiple police cars arriving. It was very chaotic.”
The shooting marks the latest in a series of high-profile incidents involving ICE agents and undocumented immigrants, particularly those from Venezuela, which has seen a significant increase in emigration due to economic collapse and political instability. The Venezuelan government has condemned such incidents in the past, often characterizing them as human rights violations perpetrated by U.S. immigration enforcement agencies.
ICE issued a brief statement late Sunday evening acknowledging the incident and confirming that its Office of Professional Responsibility would lead the administrative investigation alongside criminal investigators. “The use of deadly force by any ICE employee is taken seriously and is subject to thorough review,” the statement read. “Our thoughts are with the injured individual and their family during this difficult time.”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has positioned the state as a leader in supporting federal immigration enforcement, has not publicly commented on the shooting. However, Austin Mayor Kirk Watson released a statement expressing concern over the incident and calling for transparency in the investigation. “Violence has no place in our city, especially when it involves law enforcement,” Watson said. “We demand accountability and full disclosure regarding what happened.”
Pérez’s family, represented by attorney Leticia SolÃs of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, is expected to file a civil rights complaint with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. SolÃs, who has represented several families affected by ICE operations, described the shooting as “deeply troubling” and emphasized that her client’s immigration status does not diminish his constitutional protections.
Federal data shows that ICE agents discharged firearms in fewer than ten incidents nationwide in 2023, though critics argue that the lack of standardized reporting makes it difficult to assess trends accurately. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is also assisting in the investigation, which is expected to take several weeks to conclude.
As the community continues to process the event, vigils and candlelight demonstrations are being organized in downtown Austin and in Houston’s East End, where a large Venezuelan diaspora population resides. Advocacy groups including United We Dream and the Texas Civil Rights Project have called for an independent prosecutor to oversee the case, citing concerns over potential conflicts of interest given ICE’s role in both the incident and its own oversight.
Authorities have not indicated whether charges will be filed, and the agent involved remains on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
