A federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot a man in Austin on Sunday afternoon following a foot pursuit, according to the Austin Police Department. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from local officials amid growing tensions over increased ICE activity in the city.
The shooting occurred at approximately 12:56 p.m. in the 8000 block of Anderson Square. Austin Travis County EMS responded to the scene and located a man suffering from a single gunshot wound to the torso. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital and is currently listed in stable condition.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis confirmed that a foot pursuit took place before the agent discharged their weapon. Austin PD was not directly involved in the enforcement operation but assisted with traffic control at the scene while an investigation got underway.
The Austin Police Department’s special investigations unit and the Texas Rangers have been tasked with conducting a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Authorities described the information available at this time as limited and preliminary.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson acknowledged the shooting in the context of what he described as a recent surge in ICE detentions across the city. Watson cautioned that many details are still being gathered and that the full picture of the incident has not yet emerged.
U.S. Representative Greg Casar of Austin issued a strong response to the shooting calling it a horrifying development for the community. Casar argued that ICE should scale back its operations in Austin in the interest of public safety saying the agency’s increased presence poses a danger to residents.
The shooting adds to an ongoing debate in Austin over the role of federal immigration enforcement in the city. Local leaders have been vocal in recent weeks about what they characterize as an aggressive uptick in ICE activity that has unsettled many neighborhoods.
Federal officials have not yet issued a public statement regarding the agent involved or the circumstances that led to the pursuit and subsequent shooting. It remains unclear what prompted the initial contact between the ICE agent and the man who was shot.