HOUSTON — The Harris County District Attorney’s Office certified Daniel Tirado Pantoja and José Trinidad Rojas Pliego as victims of alleged violent crimes. The certifications identify the men as victims of felonious assault, manslaughter, and murder.

The certifications state the criminal activity occurred on July 7 in the 6800 block of Canal Street in Houston. District Attorney Sean Teare is identified as the head of the certifying agency in the documents.

José Trinidad Rojas Pliego stated in his U-visa application that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo picked up the men around 6:30 a.m. as they headed to work. The group encountered ICE agents and was pursued before officers surrounded the van.

"When Lorenzo stopped the van, the officer shot him anyway," Pliego stated in the English translation included in the court filing. "They say they wanted to run us over, but that’s a lie; there wasn’t a single officer behind or in front of us, they were only on the sides," his statement reads.

He stated that agents pulled Lorenzo Salgado Araujo from the van while he was wounded, handcuffed him, and threw him to the ground. The remaining passengers were forcefully removed, thrown to the ground, handcuffed, and placed in restraints.

Daniel Tirado Pantoja stated that an ICE vehicle nearly struck the van, prompting Lorenzo Salgado Araujo to drive onto a curb while turning around. An ICE vehicle hit the van from behind and later struck the driver’s side.

Daniel Tirado Pantoja stated that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo said, "Ya me mataron," which is translated in the document as, "They’ve already killed me." "After they took Lorenzo, another agent came and switched guns with the agent that fired then shot at Lorenzo," Tirado he stated.

Daniel Tirado he stated that agents were never positioned in front of the van and that Lorenzo Salgado Araujo put the vehicle in park while agents were firing. The records state both men reported bruising to their knees resulting from their arrests.

The men’s court filings state their U-visa applications were submitted three days after the July 13 certifications. The forms state the men provided voluntary statements, possess material information about the shooting, and have been helpful and cooperative with the Harris County District Attorney’s Office investigation.

Daniel Tirado Pantoja and José Trinidad Rojas Pliego remain in federal immigration custody at the Montgomery ICE Processing Center in Conroe. ICE placed both men in removal proceedings after the shooting, alleging they entered the United States without being admitted or paroled and did not possess valid immigration documents.

The men’s attorneys filed separate federal habeas corpus petitions on July 20, arguing their detention without an individualized bond hearing violates their Fifth Amendment due-process rights. According to the petitions, Daniel Tirado Pantoja has lived in the United States since approximately 1996.

According to the petitions, José Trinidad Rojas Pliego has lived in the United States since approximately 1998. The men’s attorneys say neither man has a criminal history and neither poses a danger to the community or a flight risk.

Judge Keith P. Ellison ordered that the government must obtain his permission before moving José Trinidad Rojas Pliego outside the district and explain in writing why a transfer would be necessary. Judge Keith P. Ellison ordered the government to respond to Rojas Pliego’s petition by July 24, explaining the legal authority for his detention and addressing his factual allegations and legal claims.

The motion states the shooting remains under investigation by multiple agencies, including the FBI, Texas Rangers, and Harris County District Attorney’s Office. Both men are scheduled to appear before an immigration judge in Conroe on Aug. 3.