HOUSTON – Tensions ran high at Houston City Hall Tuesday as dozens of community members demanded more action from city leaders, one week after an ICE agent fatally shot Lorenzo Salgado Araujo.
Residents filled council chambers with pointed criticism, grief, and calls for accountability. Chants from demonstrators outside echoed inside the building.
“Right now, our community is grieving,” said Olivia Smith, who addressed the council.
Community calls for independent investigation
Speakers urged the council to support an independent and thorough investigation into the shooting. ICE has described the incident as self-defense, saying officers shot Salgado Araujo after he allegedly rammed their vehicle and tried to run them over.
“A Houstonian is dead. Lorenzo Salgado Araujo left for work expecting to come back to his wife,” said Frida Adame, who also spoke to the council.
Adame expressed fear shared by many in the room. “I could be next. I’m brown, I’m an immigrant, who is gonna be next?” she said.
Some speakers also called out individual council members they said had not been vocal or active enough in response to the shooting, while continuing to call for justice for Salgado Araujo.
“Enough thoughts and prayers, enough statements. We need action, no action, it’s complicity,” Adame said.
Mayor opens meeting with moment of silence
Mayor John Whitmire opened the council meeting with a moment of silence. He asked those present to reflect on “the families across the United States that have suffered at the hands of an out of control law enforcement agency.”
Despite those remarks, some Houstonians criticized Whitmire for what they described as a delayed response and accused him of flip-flopping on the question of a local investigation.
“Y’all need to stand up for Houston,” one speaker told the council.
Investigation updates
The FBI and Houston Police Department chief met Tuesday, though no details from that meeting had been released as of Tuesday evening.
Mayor Whitmire said 911 call audio and video from a passing Metro bus have been shared with the District Attorney’s office. KPRC 2 filed an open records request for that video following the shooting and has not yet received it.