A Mexican man who was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during a traffic stop in Houston was not the intended target of the federal operation, according to U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Garcia said acting ICE Director David Venturella confirmed that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo "was not a target" of the enforcement action.
DHS also stated that officers had been seeking other individuals after receiving information about a specific address and initiated the stop after seeing a white van and a person who resembled the intended target.
Salgado Araujo, who had lived in the United States for more than 35 years, was a homebuilder with no criminal record and was nearing the completion of the process to obtain legal status, according to his family.
DHS said agents believed Salgado Araujo had attempted to use his vehicle against an officer, prompting the agent to fire in what the agency described as self-defense.
The department said officers at the scene had not yet been equipped with body-worn cameras, although they are expected to receive them within the next 60 days.
Few publicly available photos or videos of the encounter have emerged.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office said it is conducting an investigation while consulting prosecutors in Minneapolis on handling investigations involving federal immigration agents.
DHS also said its inspector general's office will investigate the shooting.
Three men traveling in the van, including Salgado Araujo's brother, were detained during the incident.
Garcia called for an independent review, saying, "We've got to do something. This is just one more death too many."
Democratic Rep. Christian Menefee criticized the absence of body cameras, arguing the agency should have ensured greater accountability.
The League of United Latin American Citizens said it has been unable to obtain footage clearly showing the shooting and announced a $5,000 reward for information from witnesses.
According to the organization, available security camera footage does not clearly capture the encounter because of the positioning of the vehicles.
Salgado Araujo's son said after learning his father had not been the intended target, "He did not deserve to die."
The case remains under multiple investigations as authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting.