'Kill Donald Trump' Graffiti Appears at Austin Site Where ICE Wounded Venezuelan Driver

Graffiti reading 'KILL DONALD TRUMP' has appeared near the Austin, Texas, location where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and wounded Venezuelan DoorDash driver Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez.

A viral video shared on X (formerly Twitter) by reporter and Turning Point USA contributor Savanah Hernandez shows a man spray-painting a concrete pillar close to the shooting site. The man, whose identity could not be established from the footage, was wearing a beanie as he wrote the words 'KILL DONALD TRUMP' on the structure.

Viral Video Shows Graffiti Near ICE Shooting Site

The footage shows the unidentified man writing the words on the pillar. Several messages include 'FK ICE', 'FK DONALD TRUMP', 'KILL ALL PEDOS', 'TALARICO LOVES WINS' and 'IT DOESN'T STOP WITH EPSTEIN.' It remains unknown if the same man wrote all those messages.

Hernandez stated that protesters had gathered near the location to create a memorial for Garcés Pérez following the shooting. The video does not establish who carried out the graffiti or whether the person was connected to the protest.

The incident comes as tensions remain high around ICE operations in Austin following the shooting of Garcés Pérez on 20 September.

What Happened to Wilber Rafael Garcés Pérez?

Garcés Pérez, 28, was shot in North Austin around 1pm on Sunday. His attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, said he was making a delivery when federal immigration agents attempted to stop him.

Accounts of what happened immediately before the shooting differ. Austin police said there was a brief foot pursuit, while Garcés Pérez told reporters through his attorney that an unmarked SUV sideswiped his vehicle and that he was shot after attempting to pull over.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said he had entered the US illegally and was subject to a final removal order.

His attorney has disputed that account, saying Garcés Pérez entered the country lawfully through a parole programme and held a valid work permit. She also noted that he had no criminal history. These conflicting accounts remain central to the ongoing investigation.

Garcés Pérez was initially taken to hospital after a bullet lodged in his back before being released into ICE custody. He was later taken back to hospital after developing paralysis on his left side, according to his attorney.

Garcés Pérez also stated that he was not receiving the medical care he required and was being held in inadequate conditions. According to Lincoln-Goldfinch, he lacked proper access to pain medication at the detention centre.

Lincoln-Goldfinch told reporters on Tuesday, 22 September, that a federal judge had temporarily blocked Garcés Pérez's deportation, granting an emergency order while his case proceeds.

Meanwhile, multiple law enforcement sources told CBS News that the ICE officer who shot Garcés Pérez had been placed on administrative leave while investigations into the incident were pending.

How ICE Enforcement Is Expanding

The shooting occurs amid intensified immigration enforcement activity, with ICE reporting record levels of arrests in recent months. DHS said ICE recorded 50,925 arrests in August, exceeding the 50,208 arrests reported for July and marking a new monthly record.

ICE has also explored using private contractors to locate immigrants targeted for enforcement.

An October 2025 request for information sought companies capable of verifying addresses, conducting physical observation and locating individuals for immigration enforcement purposes, with performance-based incentives included in the proposed framework.

The Immigration Policy Tracking Project later reported that amendments to the proposal could allow contractors to receive larger batches of cases and earn bonuses linked to speed and accuracy. The proposal was not an established system of private arrests.

ICE's broader enforcement activity has drawn scrutiny regarding how federal agents identify, track and detain individuals facing removal.

The Austin shooting is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the FBI, while local officials have called for the Austin Police Department to play a role in examining the incident.