Newly disclosed internal records from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have revealed that a federal agent fatally shot 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez during a traffic-control operation in South Padre Island, Texas, on March 15, 2025.
The documents, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request by the watchdog group American Oversight and reviewed by Newsweek, identify a Homeland Security Investigations officer as the individual who fired the shots.
At the time of the incident, local media reported that a man had been killed during a late-night encounter near the intersection of Padre Boulevard and Marlin Street.
However, initial public accounts did not disclose that a federal agent was involved or that shots were fired through the driver-side window of Martinez’s vehicle.
According to the internal ICE report, members of the HSI Harlingen BEST Maritime Group were assisting the South Padre Island Police Department with traffic control following a major accident involving multiple injuries.
Agents were redirecting vehicles when a blue four-door Ford approached the controlled area. ICE’s account states that officers issued verbal commands for the driver to stop.
The report alleges that the vehicle then accelerated, striking a special agent who ended up on the hood. A supervisory special agent discharged multiple rounds through the open driver-side window.
The injured agent was treated for a knee injury at a nearby hospital and later released. Martinez was transported by emergency responders to Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, where he was pronounced dead.
Both Martinez and a passenger taken into custody were identified as U.S. citizens in the ICE report.
The Texas Rangers are leading the investigation into the shooting. Sheridan Nolen, press secretary for the Texas Department of Public Safety, confirmed that the inquiry remains active and that no additional details are currently available.
The South Padre Island Police Department stated that its officers were present at the scene but that the officer-involved shooting was referred to the Texas Rangers for review.
The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department acknowledged that game wardens were assisting with traffic control but said they were not involved in the shooting investigation.
In an online obituary published in 2025, Martinez’s family described him as “humble, kind, and adventurous,” expressing deep shock over his sudden death.
In recent days, family members and community supporters unveiled a digital portrait created in his honor.
The image, shared widely on social media, features Martinez smiling against a coastal backdrop reminiscent of South Padre Island, symbolizing both his youth and the location where his life ended.
Organizers say the digital tribute was designed to preserve his memory and highlight his identity beyond the circumstances of his death.
The release of the ICE records comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement operations.
In January 2026, two fatal encounters involving immigration agents in Minneapolis drew national attention.
On January 7, Renée Nicole Good, 37, was fatally shot during an immigration operation.
On January 24, Alex Pretti, 37, an intensive care nurse and U.S. citizen, was also shot and killed during the same enforcement deployment. Both cases prompted public protests and calls for independent investigations.
As the Texas Rangers continue examining the South Padre Island incident, Martinez’s family says they are seeking transparency and accountability.
The digital portrait unveiled in his memory has become a focal point for those calling for answers, serving as a reminder that behind official reports and investigative summaries was a 23-year-old man whose life ended abruptly and whose family continues to grieve.
