A recent shooting in Houston involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer has sparked controversy. The Department of Homeland Security initially stated that the officer fired in self-defense after the driver, 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, attempted to run over him with his vehicle. However, two passengers in the van, Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego and Daniel Tirado Pantoja, have come forward with a different account of the events.

Passenger Accounts

Rojas Pliego and Tirado Pantoja claim that the ICE officers were never in front of or behind the van, but rather to the sides. They also stated that Salgado Araujo had put the vehicle in park when the officers began shooting. The passengers’ accounts contradict the initial statement from the Department of Homeland Security, which alleged that Salgado Araujo had “weaponized his vehicle” and attempted to run over the officer.

Salgado Araujo, a homebuilder and father, was killed in the shooting. His family has called for an independent and transparent investigation into the incident. The passengers, who are currently in immigration detention facilities, have filed habeas corpus petitions, alleging that their confinement is unconstitutional.

Investigation

The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas has promised a full investigation into the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General is also investigating the incident. The FBI’s Houston office is leading the investigation into the potential assault on a federal law enforcement officer.

Original reporting: Texarkana Gazette — read the source article.