A man was shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent in the North Austin neighborhood on Sunday, setting off hours of street protests and competing accounts of what happened.
An Austin City Council member said publicly that ICE agents sideswiped the man’s car before shooting him five times through the back window. Austin police disputed that account, saying it did not match what investigators understood at the time. Police said the man was shot once and was in serious but stable condition.
The disputed account spread widely before police could respond, and by evening “dozens and dozens” of protesters had gathered near the scene, according to reporting from the area. Demonstrators and police clashed at points during the evening. A reporter on scene believed law enforcement used pepper spray on a group that attempted to push past a police line; Texas state troopers were involved in that response.
Protesters reportedly threw water bottles at officers, and members of a local television news team said they witnessed rocks being thrown at a car attempting to pass through the area. Streets in the area were blocked, backing up traffic for an extended stretch, and some protesters reportedly used police tape and barricades to close off roads. Some demonstrators were seen waving Mexican and other foreign flags. People were also seen driving in circles, or “doing donuts,” in blocked-off streets.
The man who was shot has been reported to be a Venezuelan national with a final order of removal, not Mexican. According to reporting on the incident, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Mullin’s office took roughly five hours to confirm the man’s immigration status and removal order, a delay during which the disputed version of events continued to circulate.
Political reaction
The shooting drew quick reaction from Texas Democrats. Senate candidate James Talarico said in a statement:
“I am closely following reports of a shooting involving federal immigration officials in Austin. Previous incidents have shown that this agency cannot be trusted to report all the facts. We need a full, independent investigation that includes the release of any and all available footage.”
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin, also spoke out, calling for accountability over ICE’s actions in the shooting.
Police have not released additional details on the man’s condition or the circumstances of the shooting beyond confirming he was shot once and remains in serious but stable condition.
