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Contains distressing scenes.
Footage shows fatal shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez by ICE agent
Body camera videos released by Texas authorities depict the moments leading to the killing of a 23-year-old US citizen by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer last March. The incident, which occurred in South Padre Island, has raised questions about the official account provided by federal agencies.
Timeline of the confrontation
The newly disclosed footage, made public on Friday by the Texas Department of Public Safety, captures multiple angles from local police body cameras. The videos show Martinez driving a blue Ford Fusion as he approaches an intersection where ICE officers were managing traffic near a road accident. An agent is seen speaking to Martinez through the car window before the vehicle moves forward slowly.
Shouts of "Where is he going?" are heard as Martinez's car turns slightly. Moments later, gunshots are fired. The footage, taken from behind the vehicle, does not clearly show whether any officers were struck by the car.
Conflicting narratives emerge
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initially stated that Martinez "accelerated forward" and "intentionally ran over" an agent, prompting another officer to fire in self-defense. However, attorneys for Martinez's family dispute this version, arguing the videos show his car was moving slowly and that no officer was in immediate danger when he was shot.
"These new videos confirm that Ruben's car was barely moving when he was shot. That he was braking, not accelerating. That nobody was on the hood of his car. That nobody was in front of his car when he was shot. That he was shot at point-blank range through his side window by an ICE agent who was in no danger."
Charles Stam and Alex Stamm, attorneys for Martinez's family
A Texas Parks and Wildlife Department officer's report describes a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent being positioned in front of the vehicle as it began to move. The report claims another agent was attempting to open the car door when Martinez pulled forward, allegedly striking an officer. The agent then fired three shots into the driver's side window, according to the document.
Toxicology and passenger accounts
Posthumous toxicology tests detected alcohol and marijuana in Martinez's system, as reported by CBS News. Joshua Orta, a passenger in the car, contradicted the federal government's account in a draft declaration, stating Martinez did not hit any officers. Orta, who died in an unrelated car accident last month, said he and Martinez had consumed alcohol before the shooting and were instructed to leave the scene by an officer. He claimed the agent fired without warning.
Legal and political fallout
A Texas grand jury declined to indict the ICE agent involved in the shooting last month. Martinez's mother, Rachel Reyes, who voted for President Donald Trump in 2024, said she had not received any evidence or reports about her son's death until the footage was released. While she does not blame Trump directly, Reyes called for reforms in ICE, citing a "pattern of violence or abuse and impunity."
Martinez is believed to be the first of three US citizens fatally shot by federal immigration agents during Trump's second term. The other two incidents, involving Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, occurred during protests against immigration raids and sparked nationwide demonstrations.
DHS yet to respond
The BBC has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment but has not received a response at the time of publication.
