The lawyer representing the man who was shot in Austin, Texas by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent has spoken out after the incident. Protests have now erupted, with local officials seeking answers from federal authorities.
The victim has been identified as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, according to the BBC.
Lincoln-Goldfinch wrote on X, “the most important question: What happened during this shooting? I have now seen photographs showing a gunshot wound behind his neck. I have seen video from the incident. I want to see the body-camera footage. I want to know exactly what happened before an ICE officer fired a weapon. We have watched case after case involving shootings, beatings, tasings and violent encounters with immigration enforcement.”
Whatever someone’s immigration status may be, a removal order is not an explanation for a shooting. The public deserves the facts. His family deserves answers. And Wilbur deserves access to his family, his attorney and appropriate medical care. I’’m exhausted. I’m angry.
And I am so tired of watching families go through this,” she concluded, later correcting the spelling to “Wilber.”
“It wasn’t until Mayor Kirk Watson arrived around 6 p.m. and told us someone from the hospital would contact us that we finally got an answer. A hospital attorney later called and said Wilbur had been released into ICE custody at approximately 4:30 p.m. As of tonight, we still have not been able to locate him in the ICE system or speak with him.
Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch told CBS that Perez called his wife while “yelling in pain” in hospital. She told National Public Radio that he was in ICE custody. Lincoln-Goldfinch added, “We were told they could not tell us. Eventually, we were told to leave the property, and multiple APD officers and hospital security officers came outside while we stood there trying to locate a man who had just been shot. We do not know where he is being held or what condition he is in after suffering a gunshot wound,” she said.
