Executive Summary
- DHS confirmed an HSI agent fatally shot Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, on South Padre Island on March 15, 2025.
- Officials allege Martinez intentionally drove his vehicle into an agent, prompting another agent to fire defensive shots.
- The involvement of federal agents was not initially disclosed to the public until FOIA records surfaced.
- The Texas Department of Public Safety Ranger Division is leading the investigation into the use of lethal force.
HARLINGEN, Texas – The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has formally confirmed that special agents with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) were responsible for the fatal shooting of a motorist on South Padre Island, Texas, during Spring Break 2025. The acknowledgement comes nearly a year after the March 15 incident, following inquiries based on internal records obtained by media outlets.
According to a statement issued to Border Report, HSI agents were assisting the South Padre Island Police Department with traffic control at the scene of a major accident when the altercation occurred. DHS officials allege that the driver of a blue Ford, identified as 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez of San Antonio, failed to slow down and intentionally directed his vehicle toward federal agents.
“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,” a DHS spokesperson stated. “Upon witnessing this, another agent fired defensive shots to protect himself, his fellow agents, and the general public.”
Martinez was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The agent struck by the vehicle reportedly sustained a knee injury and required hospital treatment.
The specific involvement of federal agents was not disclosed in initial local reporting at the time of the shooting. The details emerged after Newsweek cited internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) records obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, which identified the shooter as a supervisory agent with HSI.
The incident remains under active investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety Ranger Division, the agency typically tasked with investigating officer-involved shootings in the state.
Investigative Transparency and Oversight
The retrospective confirmation of federal involvement in a local traffic incident highlights challenges in inter-agency transparency and public disclosure. While HSI agents frequently support local law enforcement operations, the use of lethal force in a traffic control scenario is distinct from standard border enforcement activities. The ongoing investigation by the Texas Rangers will likely examine the adherence to federal use-of-force policies and the specific threat dynamics presented by the vehicle at the moment shots were fired.
It is important to note that all individuals involved in criminal investigations are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
