Houston ICE shooting: Houston Mayor, HPD Chief asking for Texas Rangers to investigate

HOUSTON - Houston Mayor John Whitmire and Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz say they have requested the Texas Rangers to conduct an independent investigation following a deadly ICE shooting last week in Houston that killed Lorenzo Salgado Araujo. 

Houston ICE shooting: Houston Mayor, Police Chief ask Texas Rangers for independent investigation

What we know:

In the letter, written by Diaz, it states, "Mayor Whitmire and I are asking for the Texas Rangers to conduct their own investigation which will ensure it is independent and transparent. This has been done in previous cases."

Diaz added in the letter that he met with the FBI on Tuesday at the direction of Mayor Whitmire to regarding the case and facilitated the attendance of the Texas Rangers.

Diaz said, "I will continue to make all appropriate HPD resources available to support DHS-OIG, FBI Houston Division, and any other law enforcement agency, including the Texas Rangers, in their efforts to ensure this investigation is conducted in a timely, transparent and thorough manner." 

The backstory:

According to ICE, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who was allegedly in the country illegally, was shot around 6:50 a.m. on Canal Street between S. Sgt. Macario Garcia Drive and Wayside Drive in the East End last week.

ICE initially said Araujo attempted to evade arrest.

"From information we are receiving, he rammed an ICE law enforcement vehicle, refused to follow multiple verbal commands, and weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an ICE law enforcement officer resulting in our officer firing his weapon in self-defense," ICE said in a statement.

Araujo was shot in the abdomen and taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead. 

FOX later learned from Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia tells FOX 26 that after speaking with ICE, it was learned that Araujo and his brother were not the intended targets.

Garcia said ICE told her that there was another person in the vehicle who had an administrative warrant. 

The congresswoman also told FOX 26 that none of the ICE agents involved in the incident were wearing body cameras. ICE officials told Garcia that ICE promises to have officers wear cameras by the end of the month. 

Lastly, according to Congresswoman Garcia, ICE says the three people who were detained in this incident will remain in Conroe. They will not be transferred to another facility.

DHS later released a statement saying: "After receiving a credible tip from our law enforcement partners, our officers conducted surveillance on a target’s address. Weeks prior to the incident, they noted two white vans at the property. On July 7, officers were almost at the target’s address when they observed a white van with an individual who resembled the target. Officers then initiated the vehicle stop."

ICE speaks on bodycams

The other side:

FOX 26 reached out to the Department of Homeland Security last week regarding the body cameras and received this statement:

"The officers involved in the incident in Houston had not been issued body-worn cameras due to back-to-back Democrat shutdowns. The process of purchasing and issuing body-worn cameras to all of our ICE field offices was interrupted by the Democrats multiple government shutdowns. Body cameras have been deployed to more than half the field offices with the remaining half to receive them in the next 60 days.

Providing our ICE law enforcement officers with body cameras has been a priority for DHS—especially as our officers are facing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them. The halting of our body-worn camera implementation for our officers is yet another setback resulting from Democratic lawmakers refusing to fund DHS. Now, thanks to the Secure America Act, ICE has historic funding to provide law enforcement with the resources they need—including body cameras—to make America safe again."

Reaction to shooting dominates Houston City Council meeting

During a scheduled Houston City Council meeting on Tuesday, nearly 100 people made their voices heard following the shooting of Araujo.

Before the meeting, demonstrators gathered outside City Hall, chanting "Justice for Lorenzo" before moving inside council chambers for public comment.

Many speakers said they want more than expressions of sympathy from elected leaders.

Community organizer Kamila Amador urged city leaders to take what she called "measurable action," including expanding legal resources for people facing immigration enforcement and launching a multilingual Know Your Rights campaign.

FIEL Executive Director Cesar Espinosa also addressed council, arguing many Houston residents affected by immigration enforcement do not have the ability to vote, but still deserve to have their voices heard.

Several speakers also called on city leaders to pursue an independent investigation into the shooting, arguing Houston has the authority to do so.

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