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Federal immigration agents who fatally shot a Houston-area man during a traffic stop this week were attempting to locate different suspects, according to the Department of Homeland Security, a revelation that has intensified scrutiny of the deadly encounter and prompted renewed calls for an independent investigation.
The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were searching for two Guatemalan nationals when they stopped a white van driven by Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a Mexican immigrant who authorities now acknowledge was not the intended target of the operation.
According to DHS, agents believed one of the investigation’s targets was inside the van after observing a vehicle matching one previously seen at an address linked to the suspects.
Instead, Salgado Araujo, who relatives say had lived in the United States without legal authorization for approximately 35 years, was driving to work Tuesday morning with three other men when federal agents attempted to stop the vehicle.
The encounter quickly escalated, and an ICE agent shot Salgado Araujo in the abdomen. He later died at a Houston hospital.
DHS says agents believed target was inside van
Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said federal agents had conducted surveillance at an address connected to one of the Guatemalan nationals weeks before the shooting and had observed two white vans there.
When agents returned to the location Tuesday morning, they saw another white van leaving and believed the driver resembled one of the individuals they were seeking, according to DHS.
“Agents observed a white van with an individual who resembled the target,” McLaughlin said in a statement.
Before initiating the traffic stop, agents determined the van belonged to Salgado Araujo and learned he was living in the United States without legal status, according to people familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The department also confirmed that the agents involved were not wearing body cameras during the operation.
Dispute over shooting circumstances
Federal authorities have maintained that Salgado Araujo attempted to use the van as a weapon during the stop.
ICE previously said the victim “weaponized his vehicle” and tried to run over an agent, prompting the officer to open fire.
The agency has not publicly released body camera footage or other video evidence supporting that account.
Relatives dispute the government’s version of events.
Salgado Araujo’s sons said Wednesday they believe their father tried to flee because he was being pursued by unmarked vehicles and did not realize the people attempting to stop him were federal agents.
Speaking at a news conference, his oldest son, Ronaldo Salgado, condemned the revelation that his father was not the intended subject of the investigation.
“This is outrageous to me, and this is ridiculous to hear that no one in that van was a target of any sort of investigation,” he said.
Calls grow for independent investigation
The shooting has sparked widespread criticism from immigrant advocacy groups and elected officials in Texas, who are demanding an independent review of the incident.
Family members also continue seeking answers about the other occupants of the van.
According to people familiar with the investigation, the passengers included Jose Trinidad Rojas Pliego, Daniel Tirado Pantoja and Victor Hugo Salgado Araujo, the victim’s younger brother.
Victor Hugo Salgado Araujo remains in immigration detention in Conroe, Texas, according to family members.
Part of broader pattern
The fatal shooting comes amid an intensified immigration enforcement campaign under the Trump administration and follows a growing number of violent confrontations involving federal immigration agents.
According to reports, more than 20 people have been shot at by immigration officers since September, with nearly all of those encounters occurring during vehicle stops. Several have resulted in fatalities.
The circumstances surrounding Salgado Araujo’s death are expected to add to ongoing debate over immigration enforcement tactics, the use of force by federal agents and the lack of body camera footage during ICE operations.
The Department of Homeland Security has not announced whether the shooting will be reviewed by an independent agency, and the investigation remains ongoing.
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