Witnesses say Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was shot without the ICE agent facing any threat during a July 7 operation in Houston. Representative Sylvia García confirmed Salgado was not the target.
Three men traveling in Salgado’s truck told lawyer Hugo Balderas Ibarra that the agent fired through the passenger window and that no officers were threatened. The Department of Homeland Security has not released evidence supporting the agent’s initial claim that the vehicle rammed an ICE car.
Salgado Araujo, 52, who had lived in the United States for more than 35 years with no criminal record, was driving his work crew when the shooting occurred. García said ICE acting director David Venturella confirmed the target of the operation was another person.
The agents were not wearing body cameras. ICE detained the three witnesses, including Salgado’s brother, and the Harris County district attorney is investigating. The League of United Latin American Citizens is offering a $5,000 reward for video of the incident.
