Since the 52-year-old Salgado’s death, his family and community leaders have called for an independent investigation and greater transparency about the shooting. League of United Latin American Citizens CEO Juan Proaño previously said Salgado’s wife struggled to claim his body because of documentation issues.
Minutes before the public visitation opened, people wearing blue polo shirts, navy dresses and denim jackets lined up outside the funeral home. LULAC volunteers handed out snacks, water and cards for visitors to write their condolences.
Attendees included East End residents, the Hispanic community and local leaders, such as Mayor John Whitmire and Letitia Plummer, the Democratic nominee for Harris County judge.
Cars pulled into the funeral home parking lot throughout the evening. Two hours after the visitation began, the line still stretched around the building.
As people waited outside the funeral home, they spoke in Spanish and English about their lives, growing up in the East End and the fallout following Salgado’s death.
“We’re Hispanic, (ICE) makes us feel afraid,” said Rose Gutierrez, an East End resident. “People (in the community) don’t want to go outside, go to work, kids don’t want to go to school.”
Gutierrez said several months ago, she started bringing her passport with her at all times in case she was stopped by federal law enforcement.
Across the street from the funeral home, some attendees stopped at a small cart selling duros and Takis, where they bought snacks and talked with the owner about the fatal ICE shooting.
Denise Zuniga and her daughter, Xilmara Zuniga, a former student of Salgado’s son when he taught at YES Prep Northside, said they came to support the Salgado family.
“For me, it’s been a bit on the scary side looking at the news,” the elder Zuniga said. “Something unfortunate happening so close to home, it does bring stress to the Hispanic community.”
Salgado was driving Daniel Tirado Pantoja, Jose Trinidad Rojas and his brother, Victor Salgado, to work when ICE agents began pursuing the vehicle in unmarked SUVs without sirens or body cameras to record the encounter, according to U.S. Rep. Sylvia Garcia. The three men remain at an ICE processing center in Conroe.
Gov. Greg Abbott said Wednesday that the Texas Rangers will investigate the shooting death. The announcement came after the Department of Public Safety had previously said the rangers would not investigate without a request from federal or local officials.