CHICAGO — Newly released evidence calls into question the federal government’s narrative about a Chicago woman shot five times by a Border Patrol agent while also indicating agents ignored use-of-force practices from their own training.
Marimar Martinez was shot multiple times by federal immigration agents during an October clash in Brighton Park. Agents alleged Martinez chased them and rammed her car into an agent’s car, claims Martinez and her attorney disputed.
Martinez was charged with assaulting, impeding and interfering with a federal law enforcement officer. The U.S. Attorney’s Office dropped the charges after Martinez’s lawyer argued that body camera footage contradicted Border Patrol’s version of events.
The evidence had been under seal but was ordered released after Martinez’s attorney, Chris Parente, argued that because top federal officials continued to label Martinez a “domestic terrorist,” the public should be allowed to review the facts for itself.
Evidence released Wednesday includes text messages from the phone of the Border Patrol agent who shot her, Charles Exum, plus body camera footage of agents Adam J. Perkins and Lorenzo Cordero, who were also in the vehicle involved. The evidence released also includes FBI reports and emails.
Body camera footage and the incident report from the shooting, which was reviewed by Block Club Chicago, contradict Exum’s account that Martinez tried to run him over and instead indicate she was attempting to drive away, actions that conflict with use-of-force training provided to agents. The footage also shows Cordero and Perkins drawing their weapons while inside the moving vehicle and pointing them towards a nearby vehicle before crashing into Martinez’s car less than one minute later.
With their weapons drawn, one of the agents shouts “Do something, b—.”
During a Wednesday press conference, Parente described the evidence as showing agents lied to justify shooting Martinez. That includes agents using a diagram they drew that depicted Exum’s vehicle blocked in by three other cars — a claim that was proven false by video and other evidence, Parente said.
The Sun-Times also reported Wednesday that a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said Exum “was placed on administrative leave.” The spokesperson said that all “significant use-of-force incidents are thoroughly investigated, reviewed, and presented to the National Use of Force Review Board,” an independent body made up of senior Border Patrol officials and representatives from Homeland Security and the Justice Department.
‘It’s Time To Get Aggressive’
Accounts from the shooting by both Perkins and Cordero say Exum, who was driving, was boxed in by “multiple vehicles” and eventually was struck by Martinez’s car, according to an incident report from the Department of Homeland Security.
After the collision, Cordero alleges the three of them decided to stop their vehicle and get out for “a more defensible location” due to the “number of aggressors.” Perkins and Cordero both allege that Martinez drove her car directly toward Exum, prompting him to shoot at her to avoid being struck by her car, according to the incident report.
Exum’s narrative was not included in Homeland Security’s incident report.
Attorney Chris Parente speaks to the press during a news conference in the Loop on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. Credit: Jeremy Battle/Block Club Chicago
Body-camera footage counters the incident report’s narrative. It shows Cordero and Perkins with weapons drawn and pointing out the rear passenger window about one minute before the collision and shooting of Martinez.
The phrase “it’s time to get aggressive” and “we’re going to make contact, we’re boxed in,” can be heard by one of the three agents before Exum is seen yanking his steering wheel to the left and hitting Martinez’s car.
After the collision, Exum is seen getting out of the car and firing five shots within two seconds. Exum claims in text messages that he shot through the front windshield of Martinez’s car.
Photos of bullet holes in Martinez’s car contradict Exum’s claim that he fired five shots through the windshield as she drove toward him, her attorneys said.
The images, released to the public, show three bullets struck the passenger side of the windshield, one shattered the rear passenger window and another traveled from the back of the vehicle toward the front, a trajectory Parente said suggests Martinez was moving away when she was shot.
Cordero is listed as having five years of experience within Border Patrol and Perkins has 17 years, according to an incident report. Additionally, they are both listed as having “Mobile Response Team” and “Mobile Field Force” training.
After a court order, prosecutors on Feb. 11 released this and other images taken during the investigation that followed the Oct. 4 shooting of Marimar Martinez by Border Patrol agent Charles Exum. Credit: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois
Actions taken by Exum, a 20-year Border Patrol veteran and member of the Firearms Instructor Training Program, conflict with best practices taught to agents at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers.
Dr. Marc Brown, a former training center instructor and now academic director and lead instructor for the Excellence in Policing and Public Safety Program at the University of South Carolina, testified last month before the Illinois Accountability Commission about the training Border Patrol agents receive.
Vehicle-related use of force training indicates that Homeland Security policy discourages and prohibits firing into moving vehicles, Brown said.
After a court order, prosecutors on Feb. 11 released this and other images taken during the investigation that followed the Oct. 4 shooting of Marimar Martinez by Border Patrol agent Charles Exum. Credit: U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois
“Reason is, because if you’re firing into a moving vehicle, if you neutralize the driver, incapacitate the driver, now you have a vehicle just out of control,” Brown said.
It also discouraged to stand in front of vehicles to stop them, Brown explained.
However, text messages show Exum bragging about the shooting, saying he now had a “great new scenario to add to our training,” possibly referring to his position as a firearms instructor within the federal training centers.
Text messages on Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum’s phone about the shooting of Marimar Martinez. Credit: U.S. Attorney’s Office
‘Beers On Me‘
Text messages from Exum’s phone and internal emails show he received praise from fellow agents and senior leadership. Exum also bragged about the incident, according to materials released in the case.
In text messages, agents wrote, “You are a legend among agents,” “Good job, brother, glad you’re unharmed,” “beers on me,” according to photos of the messages. One message also used the “FAFO,” shorthand for “f— around and find out.”
In another text message, Exum wrote that agency leadership had been supportive “big time,” including Bovino, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and “el jefe,” which appears to be a reference to President Donald Trump, Parente said.
Text messages on Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum’s phone about the shooting of Marimar Martinez. Credit: U.S. Attorney’s Office
Text messages on Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum’s phone shows an email from Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino congratulating Exum and extending his retirement age after shooting Marimar Martinez. Credit: U.S. Attorney’s Office
Text messages on Border Patrol Agent Charles Exum’s phone about the shooting of Marimar Martinez. Credit: U.S. Attorney’s Office
Additionally, less than four hours after the shooting, Bovino sent Exum an email offering to extend his retirement age to 57, praising his “excellent service to Chicago,” according to a copy of the email. Bovino also said Exum has “much good work left to do” and said he felt that Exum would “accomplish the most illustrious endeavor.”
“So you’re talking less than four hours later. There’s been no investigation done, and the chief of Border Patrol, while she’s in the hospital, hooked up to IVs … is emailing the agent … of all things,” Parente said Wednesday.
Martinez Suing, Pursuing Monetary Damages
Martinez is now in the process of filing federal civil claims against the government and Exum, seeking monetary damages in the “tens of millions of dollars,” citing her physical injuries, emotional trauma and reputational harm.
Her lawyers plan to do that in two ways: a claim under the Federal Tort Claims Act and a Bivens claim.
The Federal Tort Claims Act has already been used by two other people in Chicago claiming damages for use of force against federal agents during Operation Midway Blitz. The tort claim will be filed and reviewed for six months before a lawsuit can be filed in federal court.
When asked Wednesday in Spanish if she was afraid, Martinez said she is not afraid of anything and that she only fears God.
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