US Immigration Officer Kills Mexican Driver During Confrontation

(CNA Houston, July 8, Comprehensive Foreign News) A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed a driver yesterday in Houston after the driver evaded arrest and attempted to ram his vehicle into the officer, the agency said today. Latino lawmakers and related groups are calling for an investigation.

Reuters reported that the US has recently intensified its crackdown on illegal immigration, and shooting incidents like this have been heard from time to time.

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) stated that the man was a Mexican national and an "illegal alien" who, during a targeted enforcement operation by federal immigration officers, "rammed an enforcement vehicle, refused multiple verbal commands, and used his own vehicle as a weapon, attempting to run over an enforcement officer." The officer "fired his weapon in self-defense," striking the driver. The man was subsequently taken to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries.

The driver has been identified as Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. Ronaldo Salgado, who identified himself as the deceased's son, told the Houston bureau of the US Spanish-language television network Telemundo that his father was shot while looking for temporary work nearby.

Reuters could not immediately verify the deceased's immigration status or the specific details of the shooting.

Reuters reviewed surveillance camera footage from a nearby business, which showed a person lying on the ground next to a white van, surrounded by several law enforcement officers. This appears to be the scene after the shooting.

Rustin Rawlings, a spokesperson for the Houston Fire Department, stated that firefighters arrived at the scene to find a man with a gunshot wound to the abdomen, who was receiving CPR and was subsequently transported to the hospital.

In a statement today, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) will lead the investigation into the shooting. The FBI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

US Representative Sylvia Garcia, who represents the local district, called for a "full and fair investigation," stating that "the victim's family, my constituents, and the entire community deserve a complete and transparent explanation."

Roman Palomares, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens, also emphasized the need for an independent investigation today, believing that ICE's involvement in shootings and excessive use of force has become the norm. "Every incident leaves a family without answers and a community in fear." (Compiled by Chang Ming-hsuan) 0708

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