Venezuelan DoorDash Driver Faces 20 Years in Prison After ICE Shooting in Austin

Key points

• The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas charged Wilber Garces Perez with assaulting, resisting, interfering with, and impeding a federal officer.
• Prosecutors allege that after a license plate check confirmed a final order of removal, ICE officers stopped Perez in a shopping center parking lot. He allegedly refused to exit his vehicle, drove away, and struck an officer with his side-view mirror.
• During the subsequent pursuit, an ICE SUV crashed into Perez’s car, causing it to spin. Prosecutors claim he then attempted to strike the officer with his vehicle, prompting the officer to fire his weapon.
• Perez faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted. He appeared in federal court in Austin on Tuesday, though his attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, stated she was not notified in advance.
• The bullet remains lodged in Perez’s back nine days after the incident. His attorney described him as being in agony and lightheaded, while DHS claimed he received adequate medical care.
• Body camera footage from the officer who shot Perez is unavailable because he was not wearing a camera. The second officer turned off his camera before reaching the scene, and that footage has not been released publicly.

Background

This incident follows a series of protests in Austin on September 21, 2026, following the shooting. A federal judge temporarily blocked Perez’s deportation last week. Earlier archive coverage from September 29 and 30, 2026, confirmed the initial charges and the ongoing dispute over the sequence of events, including the lack of body camera footage from the shooting officer.

How outlets are covering it

KUT Radio and BBC emphasize the defense’s narrative that Perez was attempting to park safely and highlight the absence of body camera footage from the shooting officer, as well as the bullet remaining in his back. Fox News focuses on the prosecution’s account, stating that officers described the initial encounter as 'pleasant and not aggressive' and that Perez admitted to disregarding commands to exit his vehicle. All sources agree on the charges and the potential 20-year sentence, but they differ in their emphasis on the conflicting accounts of the initial contact and the pursuit. KUT and BBC note that Lincoln-Goldfinch was not notified of the court appearance, while Fox News details the Miranda rights process and the dispute over the immigration order.

Why it matters

This case highlights the ongoing tensions surrounding ICE enforcement actions and the use of force during immigration-related stops. The lack of body camera footage from the shooting officer and the conflicting accounts of the incident raise questions about transparency and accountability in federal law enforcement. The potential 20-year sentence for a man who was shot and remains in pain underscores the severe consequences of these charges, while the dispute over his immigration status and the temporary block on deportation reflect the broader legal and political battles over immigration enforcement in the U.S.

What to watch

Perez is set to appear in court in Austin on Wednesday, with a separate hearing in San Antonio postponed. A detention hearing is scheduled for October 2. His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, has called for DHS to release the body camera footage immediately and is working through the implications of the criminal and immigration proceedings. The case will likely continue to draw attention to the practices of ICE and the rights of individuals involved in immigration-related stops.