Body Camera Footage Released of Venezuelan Immigrant’s Arrest After ICE Shooting

The Austin Police Department released body camera footage on Tuesday that captures the arrest of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, an illegal immigrant from Venezuela. The incident took place over the weekend and involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

Three videos provide a detailed view of how local police responded to the shooting of 28-year-old Garces Perez on Sunday. The shooting occurred as ICE officers attempted to apprehend him. In one of the videos, sounds resembling three gunshots can be heard. Another video shows an officer arriving at the scene. Garces Perez is seen sitting in the driver’s seat of his vehicle and appears to be clutching his left shoulder.

Footage from the Austin Police Department shows officers assisting Garces Perez out of the vehicle, contradicting claims that agents pulled him out. An officer is heard instructing another to retrieve shears to cut open Garces Perez’s shirt and assess his injuries.

Garces Perez was shot while ICE officers were trying to detain him in Austin, Texas. At the time of the incident, he was reportedly delivering a DoorDash order and made a U-turn under a highway. Reports from his attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, suggest an unmarked truck pursued and collided with his vehicle before the shooting.

Authorities verified that Garces Perez had a final removal order. However, Lincoln-Goldfinch argued that her client received this order after a hearing notice was incorrectly sent to a former address, despite having updated his address with the court.

ICE rejected rumors concerning the shooting and Garces Perez’s legal standing. Although he had a work permit expiring in 2025, possessing it does not equate to legal status in the United States. The agency confirmed that Garces Perez was released from the hospital, arrived at an ICE detention facility hours later, and was provided a bed.

This illegal alien was the subject of a targeted vehicle stop, ICE stated. What makes someone a target for immigration enforcement is whether or not they are illegally in the U.S. Resisting officers and evading arrest is dangerous for our officers, illegal aliens, and the public. We remind the public that resisting officers and evading arrest is a felony and a federal crime. Sanctuary politicians need to stop encouraging this dangerous behavior that puts our officers and the public at risk.