Homeland Security Agent Fatally Shoots Texas Man During Traffic Stop
Records show Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, was shot March 15, 2025, by an HSI agent during a South Padre Island traffic encounter that the Department of Homeland Security did not publicly disclose.
Overview
Newly released ICE records show U.S. citizen Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, was shot and killed by a Homeland Security Investigations agent during a late-night traffic encounter on March 15, 2025.
American Oversight obtained ICE records under a FOIA lawsuit showing DHS did not publicly disclose the March 15, 2025, shooting, and DHS said the driver intentionally ran over an agent.
The Texas Rangers took the lead on the investigation, which Reyes said included an investigator telling her there are videos that contradict the federal account, and DHS did not immediately respond to requests.
Martinez was 23 and, his mother said, was shot three times, and the passenger was taken into custody, according to the ICE report.
Reyes said she was told the state report was completed in October and would be presented to a grand jury for potential charges, and the Texas Department of Public Safety said the investigation is 'active'.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story skeptically toward federal immigration enforcement by emphasizing DHS nondisclosure, redacted ICE documents, and family/watchdog voices while juxtaposing the department’s defensive statement. Editorial choices—juxtaposing an expert’s use-of-force critique and a past case that undermined official narratives—create a pattern of questioning transparency and tactics.
Sources (6)
FAQ
According to ICE records, Martinez accelerated his vehicle forward, hitting an HSI agent who landed on the hood, prompting another agent to fire multiple shots through the driver's side window in self-defense.
Rachel Reyes described her son as a hardworking, non-violent 23-year-old U.S. citizen with no criminal history, who was celebrating a friend's birthday in South Padre Island when the shooting occurred.
The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation, which is active; a state report was completed in October 2025 and is set to be presented to a grand jury for potential charges, with videos reportedly contradicting the federal account.[story]
DHS did not publicly disclose the March 15, 2025, shooting; details emerged through ICE records obtained by American Oversight via a FOIA lawsuit.[story]
Ruben Ray Martinez is the third U.S. citizen shot dead by ICE in recent times, with the incident occurring months before the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minnesota.
History
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