{"id":173242,"date":"2026-02-20T19:06:11","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T19:06:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/173242\/"},"modified":"2026-02-20T19:06:11","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T19:06:11","slug":"ice-fatally-shot-san-antonio-man-last-year-and-it-was-kept-quiet-until-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/173242\/","title":{"rendered":"ICE fatally shot San Antonio man last year, and it was kept quiet until now"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"San Antonio resident Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, was killed last March, but it took a year to find out a federal immigration agent shot him. Credit: Mission Park Funerals and Chapel Cemetary<\/p>\n

A San Antonio man was shot dead in an encounter with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents early last year, and their involvement was left out of initial reports on the fatality, Newsweek reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The case\u00a0appears to be\u00a0the first known fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by a federal agent during the Trump administration\u2019s immigration crackdown. National outcry followed the shooting deaths of Minneapolis residents Alex Pretti and Renee Good earlier this year. <\/p>\n

In a bombshell report, Newsweek said it uncovered details on the shooting of San Antonio man Ruben Ray Martinez among a trove of newly released internal ICE documents.<\/p>\n

Martinez, 23, was shot by an ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officer on March 15, 2025, in South Padre Island, according to the news outlet. The shooting came during what ICE described as Martinez\u2019s failure to follow law-enforcement instructions during a traffic incident, while its agents assisted local police.<\/p>\n

Martinez\u2019s death was reported in Rio Grande Valley media at the time. While stories identified him by name, they didn\u2019t identify HSI\u2019s involvement or state that a federal agent fired shots through the driver side window of Martinez\u2019s vehicle.<\/p>\n

\u201c[The Texas Department of Public Safety] did not say when Martinez died, or which law enforcement agency was involved in the shooting,\u201d a report by KRGV.com<\/a> stated following the fatality. \u201cDetails of what led to the shooting have not been made available.\u00a0South Padre Island City Manager Randy Smith previously said that [South Padre Island] police officers were not the ones who fired their weapons.\u201d<\/p>\n

Newsweek was able to reveal new information on the incident after accessing documents obtained by watchdog group American Oversight through a Freedom of Information Act request.<\/p>\n

Agency documents obtained by Newsweek state that on the morning of March 15, 2025, HSI Harlingen BEST Maritime Group was in the area to assist South Padre Island Police Department (SPIPD) with immigration enforcement when both agencies responded to a major vehicle accident. HSI agents were helping redirect traffic when a blue four-door Ford approached the controlled area, according to ICE\u2019s internal report. <\/p>\n

\u201cAs the vehicle got closer to the special agents the driver failed to follow instructions and attempted to continue onto [redacted],\u201d the report states. \u201cMultiple officers gave verbal commands to the occupants to stop, the driver of the vehicle slowed to a stop, and at this point agents surrounded the vehicle and verbally commanded the driver to exit the vehicle.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe driver accelerated forward, striking a HSI special agent who wound up on the hood of the vehicle. Upon\u00a0observing\u00a0this, HSI group supervisory special agent\u00a0utilized\u00a0his government-issued service weapon, discharging multiple rounds at the driver through the open driver\u2019s side window.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

The agent involved in the shooting was taken to a nearby hospital, treated for a knee injury and released, Newsweek reports.<\/p>\n

The account of the incident detailed in ICE internal documents hasn\u2019t been independently verified, the national publication notes.<\/p>\n

While the report doesn\u2019t name Martinez and his passengers,\u00a0it describes the deceased as \u201cidentified as [redacted] of San Antonio, Texas.\u201d\u00a0Newsweek\u00a0was able to identify\u00a0Martinez based on local reporting from the time of the incident.\u00a0<\/p>\n

On Friday morning, officials connected with California Gov. Gavin Newsom raised concern over the feds\u2019 lack of transparency surrounding the slaying.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile we don\u2019t know all the facts of this case, it is clear that transparency and accountability are vital, especially when deadly force is used,\u201d Diana Crofts-Pelayo, Newsom\u2019s deputy director of communications, told\u00a0Newsweek<\/a>. \u201cThe nearly year-long delay in disclosing this incident is deeply concerning and suggests the public is unaware of the extent of DHS abuses and rising use of force in immigration enforcement.<\/p>\n

\u201cAmericans deserve\u00a0timely\u00a0disclosure, real oversight, and clear accountability when force is used in their name,\u201d she added.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

A celebration of life was held for Martinez on March 27 of last year at San Antonio\u2019s Mission Park Funeral Chapels South on Southeast Military Drive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe ask that you remember him not for the way his life ended, but for the way it was lived, and for the profound impact it had on the lives of those who had the pleasure of knowing him,\u201d his family implored in his March 19 obituary.<\/p>\n

Sign Up for SA Current newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n

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