US Citizen Killed by ICE Months Prior to Good and Pretti Shootings: Documents Reveal
In a tragic incident, an American citizen was shot dead by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) months before the high-profile killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota, according to newly released records.
Ruben Ray Martinez, just 23 years old, lost his life during a traffic stop on South Padre Island, Texas, last March. Reports from various outlets, referencing documents obtained by the nonprofit watchdog American Oversight, detail the events leading to his death.
Martinez was celebrating with a friend, having driven from San Antonio to South Padre Island. His mother, Rachel Reyes, recounted the trip to the Associated Press, emphasizing it was a special occasion for her son.
At approximately midnight on March 15, 2025, Martinez and his friend were navigating an intersection where Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officers were assisting local police with traffic control following an accident. An internal ICE incident report sheds light on the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
Reyes confirmed to the Associated Press that her son was indeed the victim mentioned in the report. Charles Stam, an attorney representing Martinez’s family, corroborated this information to another media outlet.
According to the report, agents surrounded Martinez’s vehicle and instructed him and his passenger to exit. In a sudden turn of events, Martinez “accelerated forward,” striking an HSI special agent who ended up on the hood of the car.
In response, an HSI supervisory special agent discharged multiple rounds through the driver’s side window. Martinez was subsequently transported to a hospital but succumbed to his injuries shortly thereafter. The agent struck by the vehicle sustained a knee injury.
“It was his first time getting to go out of town,” Reyes expressed, reflecting on her son’s character. “He was a nice guy, humble guy. And he wasn’t a violent person at all.”
The reasons behind the initial traffic stop remain unclear.
While not confirming Martinez's identity, the Department of Homeland Security stated that a federal agent had fatally shot a man that day in March to “protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public.”
A spokesperson for DHS elaborated that “a driver of a blue Ford intentionally ran over a Homeland Security Investigation special agent resulting in him being on the hood of the vehicle. Upon witnessing this, another agent fired defensive shots.” The Texas Department of Public Safety Ranger Division is currently investigating the incident.
Martinez’s death marks one of at least six fatal shootings involving federal immigration agents since the onset of President Trump’s controversial immigration policies, which have faced significant public disapproval.
The administration has faced backlash following the deaths of Good and Pretti, both U.S. citizens aged 37, who were shot by federal agents in Minneapolis last month. These incidents have been characterized by officials as acts of self-defense, a narrative that has drawn scrutiny.
A recent poll revealed that 55 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s immigration policies, with only 38 percent expressing approval—the lowest approval rating since he took office.
