Three men who were inside the van during the fatal ICE shooting of Houston resident Lorenzo Salgado Araujo are disputing the federal government’s account of what happened, saying the agency’s statement is false.
According to the witnesses, Salgado did not attempt to ram ICE vehicles or drive at federal agents, contradicting ICE’s claim that an officer fired in self-defense after the vehicle was allegedly used as a weapon. The men told their attorney that agents opened fire without provocation as the van was stopped during an immigration enforcement operation.
The shooting has sparked growing calls for transparency, particularly after officials confirmed the ICE agents involved were not wearing body cameras. Members of Congress, civil rights organizations, and community leaders are demanding the release of any available evidence and an independent investigation into the incident. The FBI and the Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General are investigating the shooting.
Salgado, a 52-year-old Mexican national and longtime Houston resident, was later confirmed by federal officials not to have been the primary target of the enforcement operation.