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Video Refutes ICE Claim That Ruben Ray Martinez “Ran Over” Federal Agent Before Fatal Shooting

HeadlineMar 10, 2026

In Texas, newly released body-camera and surveillance footage casts doubt on an ICE official’s claims about the killing of Ruben Ray Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen who was fatally shot by a federal agent in South Padre Island as he was driving his car. The video released Friday by the Texas Department of Public Safety appears to contradict the ICE spokesperson’s claims that Martinez “intentionally ran over” a federal officer before another agent fired three times. The video shows Martinez was given conflicting instructions by officers from multiple agencies as he drove his car — very slowly — near the scene of a previous car accident. The footage does not show Martinez rapidly accelerating or appearing to run over a federal agent. The officer who killed Martinez has been identified as Homeland Security Investigations agent Jack Stevens. Last week, a Texas grand jury declined to indict Stevens in the killing of Martinez.

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