A late-night crash scene on South Padre Island turned deadly last year when a federal immigration agent shot and killed a 23-year-old man from San Antonio. The killing was reported locally at the time, but newly reviewed internal records show it was a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who fired the fatal shots, a detail that did not surface publicly until this week, as reported by Newsweek.
FOIA Records Pull Back the Curtain
Internal incident files from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, reviewed by Newsweek, state that HSI’s Harlingen BEST Maritime Group was helping South Padre Island police work a major crash on March 15, 2025. According to those records, one vehicle at the scene did not follow officers’ commands, agents moved in around the car and a supervisory HSI agent then fired multiple rounds through the driver-side window after an agent was struck. The file notes that the agent who fired was taken to a nearby hospital with a knee injury, treated and released.
Victim Identified, Family Mourns Quietly
Local outlet KRGV identified the man killed as 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez and reported that the shooting happened around 12:40 a.m. near Padre Boulevard and Marlin Street. Martinez’s family later published an obituary and held a celebration of life on March 27, details compiled by the San Antonio Current note.
Inside ICE’s Own Account
According to the internal files cited by Newsweek, “The driver accelerated forward, striking a HSI special agent who wound up on the hood of the vehicle,” after which a supervisory agent “discharged multiple rounds” through the open driver-side window. Newsweek notes that this is the agency’s self-reported version of events, has not been independently confirmed and that no body-worn camera or bystander video has been made public.
Texas Rangers Still Probing the Shooting
The internal records name the Texas Rangers as the lead investigative agency. State officials told reporters that the investigation remains active, according to KRGV. The documents became public after watchdog group American Oversight obtained them through a Freedom of Information Act request, a point highlighted by the San Antonio Current.
Broader Scrutiny of Federal Use of Force
The disclosure, more than a year after the March 15, 2025 shooting, lands at a moment when federal immigration operations are already under an intense spotlight. Separate fatal encounters in Minneapolis earlier this year triggered federal reviews and large public protests, as reported by the Associated Press, raising persistent questions about oversight and transparency when federal agents use deadly force.
The Texas Rangers’ investigation and ongoing public records requests could eventually reveal more about what happened on South Padre Island, including any video or detailed findings. This story will be updated as official materials are released.
