A man was shot by federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in North Austin on Sunday afternoon and was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition.
The shooting happened at around 12:56 p.m. in the 8000 block of Anderson Square near Research Boulevard, according to Austin-Travis County EMS.
EMS was notified of the shooting and arrived at the scene within about three and a half minutes. The man, who suffered a gunshot wound, was transported to Dell Seton Medical Center and was taken from the scene within nine minutes of EMS arriving.
Two witnesses who work at a nearby business said they heard two gunshots and went outside to see what had happened. One witness said he saw an ICE agent and a man inside a vehicle who had been shot in the back, according to KUT News.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said during a 4 p.m. news conference that the Austin Police Department was not involved in the shooting. Police assisted at the scene by helping block roads and direct traffic.
Watson said he spoke with Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis about having APD involved in the investigation to provide what he called “third-party eyes” and a clear look at what happened.
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar also called for an independent investigation and the release of body camera footage.
“The horror has come to our city: ICE has shot a person in Austin this morning,” Casar said in a statement.
Casar said he was demanding a “full, independent investigation,” the immediate release of body camera footage and accountability for any ICE officer found to have broken the law. He also accused ICE of repeatedly shooting people and then lying about what happened, without providing specific evidence for that claim in his statement.
“We will demand truth, transparency and accountability,” Casar said.
Casar also called on Austinites to peacefully protest federal immigration enforcement, saying ICE had “been terrorizing our country for far too long.”
The Austin Police Department’s Special Investigations Division is investigating the shooting, and the Texas Rangers will also be involved in the investigation, according to the police chief.
ICE has not yet provided information about the shooting.