A federal immigration agent shot and wounded a man in Austin, Texas, early Sunday afternoon, stoking outrage in the community.
The man, who has not yet been identified, was transported to a hospital and was in serious but stable condition, according to The New York Times.
Democratic Texas Rep. Greg Casar announced on Instagram that he is “demanding a full, independent investigation, immediate release of the body camera footage, and accountability for any ICE officer who broke the law.”
“Over and over, ICE has shot people and then lied about what happened. We can see the lies with our own eyes,” Casar continued. “We will demand truth, transparency, and accountability. Just like Americans have from Minneapolis to Houston, Austinites will speak out peacefully against this deadly mass deportation machine.”
The New York Times reported that state, local, and federal law enforcement officers are investigating the incident, which reportedly took place under a highway overpass.
Video and images from the aftermath show a blue Toyota Corolla riddled with bullet holes, left on the side of the road, as yellow police tape stretched across the scene.
It is unclear if the shooting victim was the subject of an ICE investigation. Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the shooting occurred after a “small foot pursuit.”
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said during a 4 p.m. press briefing that he was “very angry” about the incident, but “not surprised at all.”
“It’s happened in other cities with the nature of ICE and the way ICE is doing its business these days and the chaos that we see it performing and fomenting,” he added.
Casar also appeared at the news conference, saying, “There is a reason that people in Austin and across the country are deeply suspicious of anything that ICE has said.”
Sunday’s shooting is the latest involving an ICE agent in Texas since July, when a federal immigration officer shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston while he was on his way to work. Araujo later died from his injuries at the hospital, the Times reported.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
