Witnesses to fatal Houston ICE shooting challenge agency’s account, lawyer says

Three men who witnessed the killing of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Houston have challenged the agency's official account of the incident, according to their lawyer.

The witnesses, who were riding with Salgado when they were pulled over by ICE officers, claim the events unfolded differently than ICE stated. Their attorney, Hugo Baldero-Ybera, told reporters that his clients have provided a "completely different" version of what happened. He is demanding their immediate release to safeguard the integrity of the investigation and expressed concern that they might be pressured into signing deportation paperwork.

ICE had stated that Salgado, a Mexican national who had lived in the U.S. for over three decades, rammed a law enforcement vehicle and attempted to run over an officer, prompting the officer to fire in self-defense. However, the agency has yet to present evidence to support its narrative. Baldero-Ybera summarized his clients' accounts, stating, "At no point was there ever an agent directly in front of the vehicle, nor was an agent ever placed in the line of danger."

Furthermore, the witnesses told their attorney that the fatal shots were fired from the side of Salgado's van, not the front, contradicting the self-defense claim. The shooting has already sparked protests in Houston's East End, with over 1,000 residents marching and laying flowers at the scene. ICE and the Department of Homeland Security have not yet responded to requests for comment.

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At no point was there ever an agent directly in front of the vehicle, nor was an agent ever placed in the line of danger.