Three eyewitnesses to a fatal Immigration and Customs Enforcement shooting in Houston have flatly contradicted federal agents’ claims that the victim tried to run them over, according to written statements obtained by legal representatives. The statements challenge the government’s narrative of self-defense in the death of 52-year-old Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.

Passengers Dispute Self-Defense Claims

Immigration attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, representing the three men who were passengers in Salgado Araujo’s van, received handwritten statements from witnesses held in immigration custody. Jose Trinidad Rojas, 51, called the federal account a lie in his statement. He wrote that agents could not have been in danger of being run over because no officers were positioned in front of or behind the vehicle during the incident.

ICE officials stated Tuesday that agents attempted to stop the van during a targeted enforcement operation. Their statement claimed Salgado Araujo weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run over an officer, forcing agents to fire in self-defense. The passengers’ version of events paints a dramatically different picture of the early morning encounter.

Sequence of Events Described

According to the witnesses, the group was heading to a construction job site around 6:30 a.m. after purchasing ice and water. At a stoplight, they noticed an unmarked vehicle following them. When Salgado Araujo accelerated at a green light, the unmarked vehicle moved onto the shoulder, sped up, and cut in front of the van, prompting Salgado Araujo to make a U-turn.

Agents activated police lights on their unmarked vehicle only after the U-turn. Witnesses told their attorney that Salgado Araujo was traveling no more than five miles per hour when agents rammed their vehicles into the work van. An agent then exited and shouted to stop before firing from the passenger side, striking Salgado Araujo in the abdomen. Victor Salgado, the driver’s brother, stated the gun was directly in front of his face when the agent fired.

Aftermath and Detainment

After the initial shot, Salgado Araujo stopped and put the van in park, but officers continued firing into the vehicle, witnesses reported. Rojas described agents violently removing Salgado Araujo from the van and throwing him to the ground. The three passengers were handcuffed at their wrists and feet and placed on the ground while Salgado Araujo called for help as he bled. Balderas-Ibarra told reporters the men were cooperating and not resisting during the incident.

Legal Questions Emerge

The conflicting accounts raise serious questions about the use of force during immigration enforcement operations. The passengers remain in federal immigration custody while their attorney works to document their version of events. The case highlights ongoing concerns about transparency and accountability in federal enforcement actions, particularly when deadly force is employed during routine operations.