HOUSTON — Hundreds of mourners gathered Thursday to honor Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old Mexican father of three who was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer during a traffic stop, as family members, friends and community advocates remembered him as a hardworking provider and called for justice.
The public visitation and Catholic rosary were held at Forest Park Lawndale, about five minutes from the East End location where Salgado Araujo was killed on July 7. The funeral came amid continuing questions about the circumstances of the shooting.
Salgado Araujo, who had lived in the United States for decades without legal immigration status, was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent. ICE has said Salgado Araujo “weaponized his vehicle” and that the agent acted in self-defense. Family members, including his brother Victor Salgado Araujo, dispute that account. The agents involved were not wearing body cameras, and no video of the shooting has surfaced.
Elmer Romero, an activist with the National Day Laborer Organizing Network, said he related to Salgado Araujo’s sons because his own father was killed during the Salvadoran Civil War.
“I say to the boys in Spanish, ‘Fuerza para la lucha.’ Strength for the struggle,” Romero said.
Guests described the service as emotional. Salgado Araujo’s construction equipment and two Mexican soccer jerseys bearing the name “L Salgado” were displayed in tribute.
Lupe Ochoa, who attended school with Salgado Araujo’s son Ronaldo, said the family’s loss inspired her to speak out.
“It makes me inspired to want to speak out for everybody else,” Ochoa said. “It’s a shame.”
Breni Rodriguez, who moved to Houston from El Salvador, said Salgado Araujo’s death resonated with immigrant families seeking better opportunities.
“We come here wanting a better future for us, for our future generations, and it’s so sad that this is how things have to end,” Rodriguez said.
Kathryn Danas, who attended the funeral, said she feared the shooting could have happened to others in the Latino community.
“Seeing these boys raised so beautifully by a man who worked hard and gave them the best he could with the little he had, that’s my hero,” Danas said. “He needs to be respected and never forgotten.”
