Venezuelan delivery driver shot by ICE has surgery to remove bullet, tell me about this news today

Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan food delivery driver who was shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Austin, Texas, underwent surgery to remove the bullet lodged in his back.

Key details of the incident and case:

• The Shooting: On September 20, ICE agents attempted to stop Garcés Pérez while he was delivering food for DoorDash. Authorities alleged that he attempted to evade arrest and clipped an officer with his driver’s side mirror. Garcés Pérez stated that his car was rammed by a law enforcement SUV and spun around before an officer fired into his vehicle, striking him in the back near his spine. The agent who opened fire was reportedly not wearing a body camera.

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• Detention and Delay in Care: Following the shooting, Garcés Pérez was taken into custody with the bullet still inside his body. He appeared in federal court in Austin in a wheelchair and an arm sling, where his defense attorneys and local lawmakers raised alarms that he had spent over ten days in detention while in severe pain without required surgery.

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• The Surgery: His legal team confirmed that the bullet was successfully removed during a procedure, and he was transferred to recover under the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.

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• Legal Charges and Public Reaction: A federal judge denied bond, ruling that Garcés Pérez must remain in custody as the case proceeds. He has been charged with assaulting, resisting, and impeding a federal officer, which carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years if convicted. His defense team has also filed petitions to block his deportation, noting he originally entered as an asylum seeker with a valid work permit.

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The shooting and subsequent handling of his medical care have triggered significant protests and community outrage across Austin, drawing sharp criticism from civil rights advocates and Democratic officials over federal immigration enforcement tactics.

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