ICE shooting claims disputed.
Federal investigators review Houston shooting as witnesses dispute ICE's self-defense claims.
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Key Points
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Witnesses say the three men were on their way to a construction job and had stopped to buy ice and water around 6:30 a.m. before the confrontation, providing a specific timeframe and context for the early-morning incident.
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Salgado Araujo was not the target of the operation, according to the witnesses, challenging the government’s claim that the van was weaponized to ram into ICE.
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The witnesses describe Salgado Araujo’s van as moving slowly at the time of the confrontation—‘not driving more than 5 miles per hour’ when ICE vehicles rammed into his work van, a detail that contrasts with the agency’s self-defense narrative.
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Federal investigators—including the FBI and DHS Office of Inspector General—are reviewing the case, with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office also involved in the investigation, signaling a broad, multi-agency inquiry.
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The pursuit and shooting occurred in Houston’s East End, adding geographic specificity to where the incident unfolded.
Three men who were in the van with Lorenzo Salgado Araujo when he was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Houston are directly contradicting the federal government's account of the July 8 killing, according to Axios. The witnesses say officers fired almost immediately after exiting their vehicle — and that no agents were positioned in front of or behind the van when shots rang out.
The shooting happened in Houston's East End around 6:30 a.m. South Shore Press reported the three men had just stopped to buy ice and water on their way to a construction job. ICE described the incident as a targeted operation and a justified act of self-defense, saying Salgado Araujo used his van as a weapon. The witnesses tell a very different story.
Witnesses Say the Van Was Barely Moving
Fellow detainee Jose Trinidad Rojas and the other passengers say Salgado Araujo was not driving aggressively. According to WSAU, the witnesses described the van as moving no more than 5 miles per hour when ICE vehicles rammed into it. They say an unmarked vehicle had been following them, and the confrontation began at a green light.
The witnesses also told their attorney that Salgado Araujo was not even the intended target of the operation, according to Axios. They provided both handwritten statements and oral accounts to challenge the government's claim that he intentionally weaponized his vehicle against officers.
ICE Said Agents Acted in Self-Defense
DHS and ICE described a planned enforcement operation that turned deadly when the driver allegedly rammed his van into officers. The agency framed the shooting as self-defense. But the witnesses say officers fired from the sides of the van — almost immediately after getting out of their own vehicle — leaving no time for a ramp-up or warning.
The conflicting accounts raise serious questions about the sequence of events and the risk posed to bystanders in the area. South Shore Press noted the shooting has drawn broad scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics in the weeks since it occurred.
FBI and Multiple Agencies Now Reviewing the Shooting
The case has triggered a wide, multi-agency investigation. The FBI and the DHS Office of Inspector General are both reviewing what happened, according to WSAU. The Harris County District Attorney's Office is also involved. Houston police have stepped back and deferred the investigation entirely to federal authorities.
The witnesses remain in immigration custody while the review proceeds. Their attorney is the primary conduit for their accounts, since they have no direct public platform. Jack FM Fargo reported that their statements represent the clearest challenge yet to the official government narrative of events that morning.
Calls for Independent Review Grow Louder
Critics and advocates are pushing for a fully independent review of the shooting, separate from agencies with ties to ICE. The fact that the witnesses are in federal immigration custody adds another layer of concern about whether their accounts will get a fair hearing.
The incident has become a flashpoint in a broader debate over how ICE conducts enforcement operations. Axios reported the case highlights ongoing questions about oversight and transparency in federal immigration tactics — questions that are unlikely to fade until investigators publicly account for what happened on the morning of July 8.
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