Man killed by ICE was not intended target in fatal Houston raid

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has admitted that the man fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Houston was not the intended target of the immigration operation.

Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican national who had lived in the United States for 35 years, was killed after federal agents stopped the white van he was driving on his way to work early Tuesday morning.

Mistaken identity

According to DHS, ICE officers had been searching for two Guatemalan nationals following a tip from law enforcement about an address linked to their investigation.

Officials said agents spotted a white van near the target location and believed one of its occupants resembled the person they were seeking.

Instead, the van was carrying Salgado Araujo and three other workers. Following the shooting, the three passengers were detained by immigration authorities. One of them, Victor Hugo Salgado Araujo, the victim's brother, reportedly remains in immigration custody.

ICE claims self-defence

ICE agents claim Salgado Araujo "weaponized" his vehicle by attempting to run over an officer, prompting the agent to fire in self-defence.

However, the agency has released no video or other evidence supporting that account.

The lack of evidence has fuelled criticism because the officers involved were not wearing body cameras, leaving investigators to rely largely on witness testimony and officers' statements.

Previous cases raise questions

Civil rights advocates have pointed to previous ICE shootings in Minneapolis and Oregon where similar claims that vehicles had been used as weapons were later challenged by video evidence.

Those earlier incidents have increased scrutiny of ICE's use of force and its public explanations following fatal encounters.

Family demands answers

Speaking at a press conference, Lorenzo's son, Ronaldo Salgado, said his father should never have been killed.

"He did not deserve to die," he said.

After learning his father was never the intended target of the operation, he described the revelation as "outrageous" and questioned why the traffic stop had escalated into a fatal shooting.

Investigation underway

DHS says the shooting will be investigated by the Department of Homeland Security's Office of Inspector General.

The case has intensified concerns over immigration enforcement tactics during President Donald Trump's second administration. According to a review of public reports, Salgado Araujo's death is the 10th fatal shooting involving federal immigration officers since Trump returned to office.

The investigation is expected to examine both the decision to stop the van and whether the use of deadly force was justified.

SOURCE

Sounds like the 'cover up' is already underway.

That "self-defense" crap has already been debunked. Those evil idiots are too stupid to know that there are video cameras everywhere, and recordings have shown them to be lying liars.