Movies launched by the Texas Division of Public Security seem to solid doubt on the Division of Homeland Safety’s account of a deadly agent-involved capturing of U.S. citizen that occurred in South Padre Island, Texas, in March 2025.
Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, was fatally shot by a Homeland Safety Investigations agent on March 15, 2025. The incident was initially reported by native information shops as an officer-involved capturing. DHS didn’t reveal the involvement of its agent till February when media shops reported that the brokers had been concerned.
In an announcement given to San Antonio ABC affiliate, DHS mentioned HSI brokers had been serving to South Padre Island Cops management site visitors after an unrelated accident on the well-liked spring break vacation spot when a driver “deliberately ran over” an agent “leading to him being on the hood of the automobile.”
On this picture from video supplied by the Texas Division of Public Security, legislation enforcement officers encompass Ruben Ray Martinez after he was shot by Homeland Safety Investigations Particular Agent Jack Stevens and pulled from his automobile at a roadblock in South Padre Island, Texas, on Saturday, March 15, 2025.
Miguel Leal/AP
The assertion went on to say: “Upon witnessing this, one other agent fired defensive photographs to guard himself, his fellow brokers, and most people.”
DHS mentioned an agent was taken to the hospital with a knee harm after the incident.
In an announcement supplied to ABC Information, attorneys for Martinez’s mom mentioned the video footage calls the DHS account of the capturing into query.
“These new movies affirm that Ruben’s automotive was barely transferring when he was shot,” the assertion from attorneys Charles M. Stam and Alex Stamm mentioned. “That he was braking, not accelerating. That no person was on the hood of his automotive. That no person was in entrance of his automotive when he was shot. That he was shot at point-blank vary via his aspect window by an ICE agent who was in no hazard.”
The assertion went on to say: “This batch of proof reveals no justification for Ruben’s killing.
In an announcement, Todd Lyons, appearing director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, mentioned: “We stand by the grand jury’s unanimous resolution that discovered no criminality. This incident was investigated from each attainable angle by an impartial physique, and it cleared our officer.”
Physique digicam video
Footage from the body-worn digicam of a South Padre police officer seems to point out Martinez’s blue Ford slowly approaching the intersection and transferring ahead when somebody is heard saying, “Hold going.”
Martinez’s automobile slows to a crawl or a attainable cease as a gaggle of pedestrians are seen crossing the road. Martinez strikes ahead after the pedestrians go and officers seem to change into involved and yell, “Cease him” and “Get him out.” Three photographs might be heard because the officer with the digicam runs towards the automobile.
Martinez’s brake lights gave the impression to be on when he’s shot. Because the DPS footage doesn’t embrace the attitude of the agent who shot Martinez, it doesn’t present any attainable influence between brokers and the automobile.
“Cease the f—— automobile somebody,” might be heard saying because the automobile comes to a whole cease.
Ruben Ray Martinez is seen on this undated photograph supplied by his household.
Courtesy household of Ruben Ray Martinez
Brokers are then seen pulling Martinez and his passenger, Joshua Orta, out of the automotive. Paramedics on scene start to render support roughly over a minute after he was pulled from the automobile.
A toxicology report launched reveals Martinez has a blood alcohol stage of 0.12% above the authorized restrict of 0.08%.
In his assertion to ABC Information, Lyons, the appearing head of ICE, pointed to an investigative report executed by the Texas Rangers which included evaluation of a number of physique cameras, and which confirmed Martinez holding a bottle of Crown Royal Whiskey and “rolling towards an officers location,” Lyons mentioned within the assertion.
Lyons’ assertion continued: “Officers yell ‘the place are you going’ and ‘cease him.’ At this level, an officer directing site visitors ‘was straight in entrance of the Fusion’ and ‘solely one-half a automotive size away.'”
Lyons mentioned, “Martinez ‘rolled ahead and made a right away left flip.’ The agent then ‘seems to maneuver as if he had been on the automobiles hood.'”
The agent’s perspective
The agent who shot Martinez, recognized in paperwork as Jack Stevens, mentioned he approached the automobile after an officer yelled to “get him out.” Stevens mentioned that when he approached, he observed the scent of marijuana coming from the driving force’s aspect window, based on the paperwork.
“The driving force’s eyes had been open broadly, fist clenched to the steering wheel, and he was wanting previous the officers on scene as he did not adjust to the loud and repeated verbal instructions of a number of legislation enforcement officers. This can be a conduct I’ve noticed in my coaching and expertise as a pre assault indicator and signal of noncompliance because the suspect is wanting within the path of their supposed motion and isn’t indicative of compliance,” he mentioned.
“This path of motion, if left unmitigated, would, utilizing the automobile as a weapon, have resulted in quite a few casualties,” he wrote.
On this picture from video supplied by the Texas Division of Public Security, Homeland Safety Investigations Particular Agent Jack Stevens pulls Ruben Ray Martinez from his automobile after capturing Martinez at a roadblock in South Padre Island, Texas, on March 15, 2025.
Miguel Leal/AP
Stevens mentioned he was struck and knocked backwards by the driving force’s-side entrance pillar and aspect mirror, based on the paperwork. He mentioned he tried to backpedal to keep away from being run over and was “nonetheless involved with the automobile because the automobile struck” one other agent.
Stevens mentioned latest incidents the place automobiles had been used as a weapon, just like the New 12 months’s Day assault in New Orleans earlier within the yr had been “recent on my thoughts,” based on the paperwork.
“Upon observing the automobile strike SA [Hector] Sosa inflicting him to fall onto the hood of the automobile and driving via the scene, with SA Sosa clinging to the automobile’s hood, I discharged my service issued handgun firing via the open driver’s aspect window putting the driving force a number of occasions. This motion stopped the risk and gained compliance from the driving force who stopped the automobile and positioned it into park,” he wrote.
A grand jury determined to not subject an indictment within the case, south Texas ABC affiliate KRGV reported.
Passenger speaks with investigators
In a recording of an interview that was additionally launched, the passenger, Joshua Orta, instructed investigators that once they approached the scene of the accident, an officer noticed a container of alcohol within the automobile however instructed him to maintain going ahead and switch to the left, however Martinez continued straight towards the opposite officers, Orta mentioned.
“That is when he, you already know, panicked and turned the wheel, and he did not flooring the gasoline however he form of went a little bit bit and I suppose they thought he was like attempting to run the cop over or one thing,” Orta mentioned within the interview.
“I noticed the officer, form of get on the hood. Like he did not hit him, however like he … caught his toes,” he mentioned.
Orta mentioned Martinez didn’t intend to run over the brokers.
“He did not know what to do … he positively did not need to go to jail. However so far as, like, operating over an officer … he would not try this,” he mentioned.
Orta died in a automotive crash in February, KRGV reported.
