Man shot by ICE agents in Texas says he is in detention with bullet in back

Key facts

• Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, a Venezuelan man, was shot by a federal immigration agent in Texas.
• Perez claims he is being held at the South Texas ICE Processing Center with a bullet in his back and is not receiving adequate medical care.
• Perez's attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, stated that the official account of the events does not match her client's account.
• DHS confirmed Perez was in the U.S. illegally and had a final order of removal.
• Austin police said Perez had run from agents, while Perez stated he was shot while still in his car after it was sideswiped by agents who did not identify themselves.

A Venezuelan man, identified as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, who was shot and wounded by a federal immigration agent in Texas, said on Monday that he is being held in an ICE detention center with a bullet lodged in his back and is not receiving adequate medical care. Perez, 28, spoke via speakerphone during a news conference held by his attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, in Austin.

Perez stated he was bleeding and not doing well due to the gunshot, adding that he had to sleep on the floor at the detention facility. Lincoln-Goldfinch said Perez was being held at the South Texas ICE Processing Center, approximately 130 miles southwest of Austin, and was undergoing questioning by agents. Perez also said he was released from a hospital within four hours of arrival, and a doctor told him ICE agents were in a hurry to transfer him to a detention center.

Perez recounted that he was working as a DoorDash driver when his car was sideswiped by agents who did not identify themselves or use lights or sirens. He stated an agent shot him while he was still in his car and that there was no foot chase, contradicting an Austin police statement that he had run from agents.

Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) responded to requests for comment. DHS had previously released a statement on Sunday saying Perez was in the U.S. illegally and had a final order of removal, but did not provide details on the shooting circumstances. The New York Times, citing unnamed sources, reported that ICE agents pulled Perez over after discovering his deportation order, and that Perez fled in his car, leading to a chase, sideswiping, and shooting. Lincoln-Goldfinch told CNN that this account "doesn't match" what Perez told her.