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By Hollie Silverman
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A man who was shot in the torso by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Austin, Texas, on Sunday is being treated at a local hospital after being transported in serious but stable condition, according to local officials.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, a Democrat, said during a press conference that the shooting took place in North Austin but emphasized that the Austin Police Department (APD) was not involved in the incident itself.
A spokesperson for APD referred Newsweek to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, for any questions on the shooting when contacted by email Sunday. Newsweek reached out to the DHS by email Sunday for more information.
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Sunday's shooting is one of over a dozen committed by federal agents since President Donald Trump took office for his second term in 2025. The string of controversial incidents involving federal agents has fueled debate over the agency's enforcement operations and use of force, with the latest shooting prompting calls from local officials for investigations involving local authorities.
Sunday's incident also comes amid what local leaders described as a recent increase in ICE enforcement activity in the city.
Anti-ICE demonstrators have since descended on the scene with loudspeakers and signs in protest of the shooting. The Associated Press reported that some cursed at officers holding riot shields, while others yelled out as cars honked in support of the protest. One man held a sign saying, “Nobody is safe” and, on the other side, “ICE Nazi.”
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Officials Want Answers
Details about the circumstances leading to the shooting remained limited Sunday evening.
At the press conference, Watson said the APD's role was restricted to traffic control and road closures near the scene at Research Boulevard and Anderson Square Drive.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said the department's Special Investigations Unit, which handles officer-involved shootings, was on the scene and would participate in the investigation alongside the Texas Rangers. Davis said she had also spoken with Homeland Security Investigations and was seeking cooperation from federal authorities.
"We want answers," Davis said, adding that Austin residents deserve an explanation regarding what occurred.
Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said first responders found a man suffering from a gunshot wound. The patient was transported to Dell Seton Medical Center within nine minutes of EMS arrival and was listed in serious but stable condition.
Officials repeatedly cautioned that information remained preliminary. Davis said early information suggested there may have been a brief foot pursuit before the shooting but stressed that investigators had not yet completed interviews or received a full briefing from federal authorities.
She also said that she did not yet know the nationality of the man who was shot.
Watson said he had requested Austin police participation in the investigation because, in his view, an internal ICE review alone would not provide sufficient public confidence.
"The city of Austin deserves answers," the mayor said, adding that Austinites "have a right to know what happened."
When asked by a reporter if local authorities knew where the involved federal agent was, Watson said he didn't know. "But my hope would be that an agent that’s involved in an officer-involved shooting would not leave the city. Certainly not leave the state."
What Witnesses Saw and Video Shows
Video shared on X appears to show an agent holding a weapon as they get out of a black vehicle and approach a blue car. Inside the car, a man can be seen in the driver seat with the door open.
The blue vehicle in the video appears to have damage to the passenger side.
Marie Hodges, a resident of the area, told Fox 4 that she saw the car being chased before learning of the shooting.
"Me and my friends were sitting...in the front yard. We had just been cutting grass, and we heard the police, and I said, 'Ooh, ooh, something going on!' So, I jumped up, and when I jumped up, it's the blue car around the corner, and I said, 'Oh s***, they're being chased,'" she said.
Hodges said she saw the undercover vehicles chasing the blue vehicle around the corner.
Questions About Transparency
Democratic Representative Greg Casar, who joined city officials at the news conference, said communities have reason to demand independent scrutiny of federal law enforcement shootings.
Casar argued that previous public statements issued by ICE following shootings in other cities had later been contradicted by video evidence. He cited the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good in Minneapolis and Ruben Rey Martinez from San Antonio, specifically.
Referring to those incidents, Casar said communities should insist on "independence, transparency and accountability" while facts surrounding the Austin shooting are gathered.
The congressman also criticized what he described as a recent surge in ICE activity in Austin, arguing that increased enforcement operations have heightened fear among immigrant communities.
"My top concern right now is that this gets investigated properly," Austin City Council Member Mike Siegel told local news outlet KVUE in a video interview. "I've been told that this is essentially a federal crime scene, but I want the city police to also be a part of the investigation, so the public has confidence that we're getting real facts that there is a proper investigation being conducted."
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What Happens Next
As the investigation continues, ICE and other officials are expected to release additional information as to why the shooting occurred and whether the use of force complied with agency policy.
Newsweek’s reporters and editors used Martyn, our AI assistant, to produce this story. Learn more about Martyn here.
Contact Newsweek editors for this story: Steve Mollman and Anthony Murray.
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