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A grand jury on Wednesday declined to indict a federal immigration agent involved in the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen during a traffic encounter in Texas last year, according to prosecutors.
The shooting of 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez on March 15, 2025, by a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent remained undisclosed by the Department of Homeland Security until media outlets, including The Associated Press, reported on the incident last week.
The Cameron County District Attorney’s Office announced the grand jury’s decision in a brief statement but provided no additional details about the case or the evidence presented to jurors.
According to DHS’s previous statement, Martinez “intentionally ran over” an HSI special agent, which prompted another agent to fire “defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public.” HSI operates as an investigative unit under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
This incident marks the earliest of at least six deadly shootings by federal officers since the implementation of a nationwide immigration crackdown during President Donald Trump’s second term.
Attorneys representing Martinez’s family expressed skepticism about the DHS account of the shooting. Following the grand jury decision, they issued a statement highlighting that due to the confidential nature of grand jury proceedings, they remain unaware of what evidence or testimony was presented to jurors.
The family’s legal team is now urging the Texas Department of Public Safety to release its investigation findings, allowing Martinez’s relatives to “determine for themselves whether ICE’s story is accurate and why Ruben was killed that night.”
Central to the dispute is a draft affidavit from Joshua Orta, who was a passenger in Martinez’s car during the shooting. According to the attorneys, Orta’s account contradicts the official narrative, stating that Martinez never struck an officer with his vehicle. Orta reportedly claimed their car was “just crawling” when a federal agent fired into the driver’s side window without “giving any warning, commands, or opportunity to comply.”
In a tragic development, Orta, described as a key witness to the encounter, died in a car crash last weekend, further complicating efforts to establish what happened that night.
The statement from the family’s attorneys emphasized that Martinez’s relatives are “proud Americans, strong supporters of law enforcement, and Trump voters,” who simply “want to be treated honestly and decently.”
Martinez, a San Antonio resident, and Orta were on a Spring Break trip to South Padre Island when the fatal shooting occurred. While local media initially reported Martinez’s death, authorities did not disclose that HSI agents were involved in the incident.
An official incident report from ICE detailed the officers’ version of events, stating they were assisting local police with traffic redirection around an accident when Martinez’s Ford approached. The report claims officers ordered the driver to stop, and after initially not responding, Martinez eventually halted the vehicle.
According to the ICE report, agents surrounded the car and commanded those inside to exit. The driver then allegedly “accelerated forward” and struck an HSI special agent “who wound up on the hood of the vehicle.” This prompted a nearby HSI supervisory special agent to fire multiple times through the open driver’s side window.
Orta’s draft affidavit presents a starkly different account. It reportedly states that a police officer first approached them and told them to leave. As they attempted to turn around, another officer approached, slapped the hood, and “seemed to be trying to get in front of the car.”
The affidavit further claims that officers surrounded the vehicle with drawn weapons, yelling at them to stop, even though Martinez was “only crawling” and never accelerated or struck an officer. According to Orta’s account, an officer near the driver’s side window then fired without warning, causing Martinez to say “I’m sorry” before losing consciousness.
Martinez’s mother previously told the AP that her son was shot three times during the encounter.
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17 Comments
Concerning development. The lack of indictment raises questions about the decision-making process and the need for greater transparency and oversight around use of force by federal agents. More details are required to properly assess this incident.
Troubling news. While the details are unclear, the lack of indictment raises questions about the decision-making process and the need for greater transparency around use of force by federal agents. More information is required to properly assess this incident.
This is a concerning development. The public deserves a full, transparent investigation to understand what happened and ensure appropriate accountability. Lack of indictment raises red flags about the process.
Troubling news. While the agent may have felt threatened, the lack of indictment suggests a need for stronger oversight and de-escalation training for federal law enforcement interacting with the public. Transparency is key to ensuring accountability.
Tragic loss of life. While the agent may have felt threatened, the lack of indictment raises questions about the investigation process and the need for greater transparency and oversight around use of force by federal agents.
This is a tragic situation. More information is needed to understand the full context and determine if the use of force was appropriate. Policies and training around de-escalation and proportional response should be reviewed.
I agree. Thorough, independent investigation is crucial to build public trust and ensure accountability in these types of cases.
This is a troubling case that deserves a full, transparent investigation. The lack of indictment is concerning and suggests a need for stronger accountability measures and de-escalation training for federal law enforcement personnel.
Agreed. Without more information, it’s difficult to determine if the use of force was justified. Thorough review and reform of policies are essential to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
This is a concerning development that warrants further scrutiny. The lack of indictment suggests a need for stronger accountability measures and more robust de-escalation training for federal law enforcement personnel interacting with the public.
I agree. Thorough, independent investigation and review of policies are essential to build public trust and ensure appropriate use of force standards are in place.
Tragic loss of life. While the agent may have felt threatened, the lack of indictment suggests a need to review training and protocols around de-escalation and use of force, especially for federal agents interacting with the public.
Absolutely. More emphasis on de-escalation and proportional response could help prevent these types of fatal encounters in the future.
This is a very troubling incident. More transparency is needed from federal agencies to build public trust. The lack of indictment raises concerning questions about accountability and use of force policies.
I agree, the lack of details and independent oversight is alarming. These types of incidents erode confidence in the system.
I’m curious to learn more about the specifics of this incident and the evidence presented to the grand jury. Transparency is critical to build public trust in these types of cases.
Agreed. Without more details, it’s difficult to assess whether the use of force was justified. Thorough, independent review is essential.