Travis County District Attorney José Garza Submits Testimony to the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security Hearing Invitation
Travis County, TX — Travis County, TX — On Thursday, October 14, 2026, Travis County District Attorney José Garza submitted a letter to Representative Bennie Thompson, Ranking Member of the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, regarding the ongoing investigation into the shooting of Mr. Wilber Rafael Garces Perez in Austin, Travis County, Texas, on September 20, 2026.
In his letter, DA Garza shared the following information about the investigation:
“On the afternoon of September 20, 2026, detectives assigned to the Austin Police Department’s Special Investigations Unit (APD SIU) and a representative from the Travis County District Attorney’s Office reported to the scene of Mr. Garces Perez’s shooting. APD then initiated a criminal investigation of the incident. This investigation remains active and ongoing and is supported by TCDA’s Civil Rights Unit.
Because this investigation is pending, it is not appropriate for me to disclose any facts or preliminary findings. I can share that this Office is deeply grateful for the leadership of Chief Lisa Davis and the investigative work undertaken by APD in this case.”
DA Garza shared information about TCDA’s and APD’s efforts to obtain evidence related to the shooting:
“APD and TCDA are committed to conducting a complete, independent investigation into the events of September 20, 2026. To date, APD’s investigation of this incident has been diligent and thorough. However, it has yet to benefit from the cooperation of the federal government.
“Since September 21, 2026, APD has made multiple requests to federal law enforcement agencies for access to material evidence related to the shooting of Mr. Garces Perez. These requests have included requests to interview key witnesses, as well as for video footage, records, and other documents that are currently in the possession of the federal government. Separately, TCDA has also made similar requests of federal law enforcement agencies for evidence regarding the shooting of Mr. Garces Perez.”
DA Garza concluded:
“These types of requests are customary in any investigation where local and federal jurisdiction overlap and are usually accommodated by federal authorities. As of this writing, the federal government has not fulfilled any of APD or TCDA’s requests to access evidence in this case.”
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