Close friend of U.S. citizen killed by ICE agent disputed official account of shooting
CBSN
The close friend of a 23-year-old American citizen and Texas resident who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent last year disputed officials' account of the fatal shooting in a declaration he dictated to the slain man's lawyers. In:
The close friend of a 23-year-old American citizen and Texas resident who was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent last year disputed officials' account of the fatal shooting in a declaration he dictated to the slain man's lawyers.
Ruben Ray Martinez died in March 2025 after being shot in South Padre Island, Texas. While the fatal shooting was reported at the time by local news outlets, the fact that an ICE agent was the one who shot and killed Martinez was not revealed until last week, roughly 11 months later.
In an official statement and internal report, Department of Homeland Security officials said an ICE agent fired "defensive shots" into Martinez's vehicle after Martinez "failed to follow instructions" and struck another agent with his vehicle. Officials said Martinez was pronounced dead at a local hospital.
But a draft declaration that lawyers said was dictated by Joshua Orta, Martinez's friend and passenger, contradicts the version of events offered by federal officials.
"I was present, and I state clearly and without hesitation that Ruben did not hit anyone," Orta said in a declaration, dated September 2025.
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