Venezuelan delivery driver undergoes surgery after being shot by ICE agent

A Venezuelan delivery driver held in Texas has undergone surgery to remove a bullet that had remained lodged in his back for nearly two weeks. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, 28, was shot by a federal immigration agent during an encounter in Austin. He appeared in court in a wheelchair on Wednesday, wearing a sling on his arm.

Fabiana Melendez Ruiz, a spokesperson for Garces Perez’s legal team, said the bullet was successfully removed during surgery on Thursday. She said he was recovering while in the custody of the US Marshals. Garces Perez remains detained on a charge that he assaulted an officer while trying to evade arrest.

Authorities say he struck an officer with his vehicle’s side mirror on September 20 while attempting to drive away. The officer who fired the shot was not wearing a body camera, according to the supplied material. Garces Perez faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of the assault charge.

Garces Perez told authorities he was struck by a law-enforcement SUV and spun around before he was shot. Federal officers told investigators that he attempted to hit an officer with his car at the end of a chase before the officer opened fire. Court footage shown on Wednesday depicts officers pulling over Garces Perez while he was delivering food for DoorDash.

The case has prompted protests and criticism in Austin concerning the conduct of federal immigration agents and the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The supplied material does not give the officer’s name or describe any charging decision beyond the assault allegation.