Three men who claim to have witnessed the fatal shooting of a Mexican national by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent are publicly challenging the agency’s version of events. Jose Trinidad Rojas, Daniel Tirado Pantoja, and Victor Salgado stated on Friday, July 10, that they were present on July 7 when their co-worker, 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, was killed in Houston. Victor Salgado is also the brother of the deceased.
Following the incident, immigration officials claimed they had targeted Salgado Araujo after mistaking him for another individual. The agency alleged that the agent opened fire because the victim attempted to “weaponize his vehicle” against him. However, the witnesses and their attorney, Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, strongly reject this narrative. During a news conference on Friday, Balderas-Ibarra asserted that no ICE agent was standing in front of the white van at any time, nor was any agent placed in the line of danger.
According to the lawyer, the agent fired shots from the side of the vehicle. Balderas-Ibarra described the ICE account as “simply false,” noting that the agency’s statement mirrors language used in other past shooting incidents, such as those involving Renee Good in Minneapolis and Marimar Martinez in Chicago. The attorney also expressed concern that his clients, who remain in ICE custody, might be pressured into signing voluntary departure papers to prevent them from testifying.
The lack of clear evidence remains a point of contention. U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, confirmed that the agents involved were not equipped with body cameras, and their vehicles lacked dashboard cameras. While ICE maintains that its inspector general is investigating the shooting and the FBI is reviewing a potential assault on a federal officer, the family of Salgado Araujo has called for the release of the three witnesses, arguing their testimony is essential to uncovering the truth.
Houston Mayor John Whitmore has called for an independent investigation into the killing. Describing the incident as “egregious,” Whitmore stated that the victim was chased by an unmarked vehicle before he could identify himself. The mayor vowed to utilize the city’s full investigative powers to address the case. USA Today has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment regarding the witnesses’ claims and the current duty status of the agent involved.
The Houston-based attorney says he fears his clients will be forced into signing deportation papers in an effort to keep them from testifying in court about what happened.
"I was chairman of criminal justice in Austin for 30 years, involved in many investigations and oversight reviews of police action," Whitmore said Friday. "None are more egregious than the one that ICE brought to Houston Tuesday morning some 80 hours ago."
