The Democratic Club of Polk County mourns the death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo and joins his family in calling for a full, independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his killing.
On the morning of July 7, Mr. Salgado Araujo, a 52-year-old construction worker, husband, father of three, and small-business owner, was driving his crew to a Houston job site when federal immigration agents attempted to stop his van. An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot him, and he later died at a hospital. The Harris County Medical Examiner classified the manner of his death as homicide.
The Department of Homeland Security says Mr. Salgado Araujo ignored commands and attempted to use his van against an officer. The three men who were inside the van dispute that account. Through their attorney, they have said no officer was standing in front of the vehicle and that shots were fired through the passenger side. Federal officials have also acknowledged that Mr. Salgado Araujo was not the person agents were originally seeking…