Austin Police Release Bodycam Footage of Arrested Venezuelan Immigrant

The Austin Police Department has released body camera footage from the arrest of Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a 28-year-old Venezuelan immigrant, on Tuesday. This follows an incident over the weekend where U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers shot Garces Perez during an attempted arrest.

The bodycam videos show local police responding to the shooting on Sunday. In one video, three gunshots can be heard. Another video depicts an officer arriving at the scene while Garces Perez sits in the driver’s seat of his car, holding his left shoulder in apparent pain.

Local and Online Reactions
Garces Perez was shot by ICE officers as they attempted to detain him in Austin, Texas. Bodycam footage reveals officers assisting him out of the vehicle, which contradicts previous claims that agents forcibly pulled him out. An officer is heard requesting a pair of shears to cut open Garces Perez’s shirt to assess his injuries.

Audio and Additional Footage
An officer asks Garces Perez in Spanish, “¿Tiene armas?” or “Do you have any weapons?” to which Garces Perez responds negatively. An officer states that there appears to be at least one gunshot wound.

The Pursuit and Arrest
Garces Perez was reportedly delivering a DoorDash order and made a U-turn under a highway before ICE agents resumed their pursuit. His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, claims an unmarked truck chased her client and sideswiped his vehicle before the shooting occurred.

Legal Status and Reaction
Authorities have confirmed that Garces Perez had a final order of removal. His attorney argues that the order arrived after a hearing notice was sent to an outdated address, despite him updating the court record. ICE disputes these claims, stating that Garces Perez’s work permit, which expires in 2025, does not equate to legal status in the U.S.

Following the incident, Garces Perez was released from the hospital and later taken to an ICE detention facility. ICE denies the allegations of indiscriminate targeting, emphasizing that military operations focus on individuals violating U.S. immigration laws.

ICE highlighted in their statement that resisting officers and evading arrest is a felony, urging public and civic leaders to discourage such dangerous behavior for the safety of officers and the public.