West Texas
LubbockAmarilloSoonMidland / OdessaSoonBig SpringSoonAbileneSoon
News/Beyond the 806

Beyond the 806

Man shot by ICE officer is detained in Texas with a bullet still in his back, attorney's office says - AP News

Man shot by ICE officer is detained in Texas with a bullet still in his back, attorney's office says - AP News

A Venezuelan man shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer is now in ICE custody at a detention center in Texas, still carrying a bullet in his back that doctors chose not to remove.

Wilber Rafael Garces Perez spoke by phone during a news conference Monday, with his attorney relaying that doctors left the bullet in place because it sits too close to his spine to safely extract. He said ICE pushed to get him discharged from the hospital quickly so the agency could transfer him to a detention facility. No details on where the shooting happened or what led up to it were shared during the call.

For people in Texas following ICE enforcement actions, this case raises hard questions about how quickly injured detainees get moved through the system. That detail sticks. A man with a bullet lodged near his spine is sitting in a detention center instead of recovering in a hospital. It also puts a spotlight on what medical care looks like inside ICE custody when someone gets hurt during an arrest.

The attorney's office has not said whether Garces Perez faces criminal charges or what his immigration status is beyond being held at the detention center. His condition and the circumstances of the shooting remain under wraps for now.

Stay in the loop

Weekly Lubbock news, deals, and events. Free.

Read next