Fatal Shooting on South Padre Island
Newly released video footage appears to contradict the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) account of a fatal shooting in March 2025, raising questions about the agency's narrative. The video shows the moments before and after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed Ruben Ray Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen, in South Padre Island, Texas.
The incident occurred on March 15, 2025, but ICE did not confirm its involvement until February 2026. DHS initially stated that Martinez "intentionally ran over" an agent, prompting another agent to fire "defensive shots." However, body camera footage obtained by CBS News suggests Martinez's vehicle was either stationary or moving very slowly when the shooting occurred.
Conflicting Accounts of the Incident
The video shows Martinez's blue Ford Fusion approaching an area with a heavy law enforcement presence. Someone is heard saying "keep going," and the vehicle moves forward before stopping for pedestrians. Officers then yell "stop him" and "get him out," before three shots are heard. Martinez's brake lights appear to be on at the time of the shooting.
Attorneys Charles M. Stam and Alex Stamm, representing Martinez's mother, Rachel Reyes, stated that the videos show Martinez's car was barely moving, braking instead of accelerating, and that nobody was on the hood or in front of the vehicle when he was shot at point-blank range. They argued there was no justification for the killing.
ICE Defends Agent's Actions
Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons defended the agent's actions, citing an investigative report by the Texas Rangers. The report, which included analysis of multiple body cameras, indicated Martinez was holding a bottle of Crown Royal Whiskey and "rolling toward an officers location." Lyons stated that an officer directing traffic was "directly in front of the Fusion" and "only one-half a car length away" when Martinez "rolled forward and made an immediate left turn," leading the agent to believe he was on the vehicle's hood.
The agent who shot Martinez, Jack Stevens, said he approached the vehicle after hearing an officer yell to "get him out." Stevens stated he smelled marijuana coming from the driver's side window and observed Martinez's "eyes were open widely, fist clenched to the steering wheel." Stevens added that recent vehicle attacks were "fresh on my mind." He said he was struck by the driver's-side front pillar and side mirror, and discharged his weapon to stop the threat.
Witness Testimony and Toxicology Report
Joshua Orta, Martinez's passenger, told investigators that Martinez panicked and "kind of pushed the gas" out of reaction, but "he didn't floor it, it was barely moving." Orta said Martinez turned the wheel left, and an officer "got on the hood a little bit" after his feet may have gotten caught. Orta maintained that Martinez did not intend to run over the agents. Orta died in a separate car crash in February.
A toxicology report revealed Martinez had a blood alcohol level of 0.12%, exceeding the legal limit of 0.08%. Lyons said footage shows Martinez holding a bottle of Crown Royal Whiskey.
Mother Seeks Transparency
Reyes, Martinez's mother, said she has struggled to find "closure" and called for transparency from investigators and reforms in how immigration agents conduct their duties. Reyes stated that she voted for President Donald Trump in 2024, and she does not blame him for her son's death. She hopes for changes in the department to address the "pattern of violence or abuse and impunity."
After the shooting, the video shows Martinez being pulled from the car, thrown to the ground, and handcuffed before receiving medical attention. Emergency responders are seen rendering care approximately two minutes after he was shot three times. The Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the shooting, but a grand jury declined to return criminal indictments.
