HOUSTON — Houston Mayor John Whitmire on Friday called for an independent investigation into the fatal shooting of Lorenzo Salgado during a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation, saying the city will continue seeking answers despite federal control of the investigation.
“We are doing and will not rest until we have an independent thorough investigation,” Whitmire said during a news conference joined by U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia, Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz and other officials.
Whitmire said the city has contacted multiple agencies, including the FBI, the Texas Rangers and the Texas Department of Public Safety, while coordinating with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office. He said Chief Diaz has requested information from the FBI that can be shared with local investigators.
The mayor said federal authorities currently control key evidence, including the vehicle involved, the passengers and other materials related to the case.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the agency’s Office of Inspector General is investigating the shooting, while the FBI is reviewing allegations that Salgado used his vehicle as a weapon during the operation.
Whitmire criticized the tactics used during the operation, describing the pursuit by unmarked vehicles as unacceptable. He also emphasized that the Houston Police Department did not participate in the ICE operation and continues to follow its policy of not assisting with federal immigration enforcement actions.
The mayor said he met with Salgado’s family and described them as a law-abiding, hardworking family whose lives were permanently changed by the shooting.
Whitmire said the case affects the entire city, adding that Houstonians deserve a full accounting of what occurred during the federal operation.
The news conference followed a separate briefing earlier Friday attended by Garcia, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, attorney Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, U.S. Rep. Al Green and other community leaders.
