Dramatic videos of protests breaking out around the scene of the shooting have emerged. The shooting of a man by a Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Austin, Texas, sparked a tense standoff between protesters and law enforcement on Sunday.
By Sunday evening, roughly 100 protesters had gathered near the shooting scene.
Krassenstein wrote, “These officers are not properly trained, many are white supremacists and Trump appears to want this.” Protesters shouted at officers carrying riot shields while passing motorists honked in support. Some protesters held signs criticizing ICE and federal immigration enforcement. Videos circulating on social media showed protesters confronting officers near the scene. One clip shared by conservative commentator Nick Sortor appeared to show a group rushing toward a police line. As the crowd pushed forward, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers used pepper spray on them forcing the crowd to retreat. Another widely shared video from FOX news posted by Brian Krassenstein showed demonstrators gathering after the shooting. A small group of protesters are seen on the pedestrian path holding flags and boards as police stands in front of them.
Authorities have not released his identity or nationality.
Austin Police said the man was shot once in the torso by an ICE officer following a traffic stop on the city’s north side. The victim was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition.
Austin officials seek independent investigation
Because the investigation remained in its early stages, officials said few details were immediately available.
Austin Police Chief Lisa Davis said city officers were not involved in the federal immigration operation or the shooting itself. She added that the department’s Special Investigations Unit was processing the scene while investigators worked to establish the sequence of events.
