Wilber Rafael Garces Perez was transported back to a hospital on Monday night after spending time in a detention center with a bullet still lodged in his back, as reported by the Associated Press. The 28-year-old Venezuelan man was initially shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during a traffic incident in Austin, Texas. His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, confirmed his return to medical care late Monday, marking a shift from his earlier detention at the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall.
The incident began on Sunday while Perez was working as a DoorDash driver. According to his account, ICE officers in an unmarked truck sideswiped his vehicle twice without using flashing lights or signaling for him to stop. Perez stated that he attempted a U-turn and tried to park, but the officers rammed his car again before shooting him in the back of the neck. He noted that the bullet remained in his body because it is positioned dangerously close to his spine.
Perez described a difficult experience while in custody before his transfer back to the hospital. He claimed that ICE officials pushed for his release from the initial hospital stay so they could move him to the detention center. Once there, he said he received no medical treatment or pain medication and was forced to sleep on the floor. He eventually received a single pill from a nurse on Monday. Speaking over the phone during a news conference, he stated, “I am not doing well due to the gunshot wound, and I have not received the medical attention that I require.”
The Department of Homeland Security has provided minimal information regarding the shooting
DHS confirmed an investigation is underway, noting that Perez is a Venezuelan national in the country illegally who held a final order of removal. His attorneys, however, maintain that he entered the U.S. legally in 2024 through the CBP One program.
Man shot by ICE officer is detained in Texas with a bullet still in his back, attorney says | LINK IN BIO pic.twitter.com/PQARXmQvh2
— KSBW Action News 8 (@ksbw) September 22, 2026
They explained that his deportation order stemmed from a missed court hearing caused by a notice being sent to an incorrect address. Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch addressed the situation in a social media post, stating, “Not that being out of status would justify any of this at all.”
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat, called the transfer back to the hospital a positive first step. He emphasized that the focus now must be on ensuring Perez fully recovers and is reunited with his family. Casar also expressed that Perez should be allowed to share his full account of the shooting with law enforcement.
This event has sparked significant calls for oversight. Local advocates, civil rights leaders from the League of United Latin American Citizens, and various elected officials are demanding an independent body to review use-of-force incidents involving ICE. There is also a push for Congress to prohibit ICE officers from conducting traffic stops, with critics arguing the agents are undertrained and overly prone to using violence.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson has stated that it would be inappropriate for ICE to handle the investigation internally and wants local police involved in the process. Protesters have since gathered at the Texas Capitol to demand justice, while community members have placed flowers and candles near the scene of the shooting.
