A Venezuelan man who was shot while in his car by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Texas is now facing federal criminal charges. Federal prosecutors say Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez, 28, struck an ICE officer with his vehicle’s side mirror and attempted to drive away, leading to the incident.
Prosecutors announced an assault charge related to “assaulting, resisting and impeding a federal officer,” according to a criminal complaint. Garcés Pérez makes an initial court appearance in Austin federal court, with details provided by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Western District of Texas. The accounts also note that his attorney says he still has a bullet lodged in his back from the shooting on 20 September.
The reporting is aligned on the timing of the shooting and the general basis of the charge. It differs slightly in emphasis, with some outlets focusing on the charging decision by the Trump administration and others focusing on the alleged action involving the side mirror and the ongoing injury described by the defense.
