Was HSI Special Agent Jack Stevens justified in fatally shooting Ruben Ray Martinez?
HSI agent Jack Stevens fatally shot U.S. citizen Ruben Ray Martinez on South Padre Island in March 2025, saying Martinez's car struck a fellow agent. A grand jury declined to indict him, but body-camera footage shows the car moving very slowly, leaving the shooting disputed.
BackgroundWhen can federal immigration agents use deadly force?
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Published by The Dispute Index editorial teamPublished Updated
Overview
On March 15, 2025, Jack Stevens, a Homeland Security Investigations supervisory special agent, fired three shots through the driver-side window of Ruben Ray Martinez's car during a traffic stop on South Padre Island, Texas. Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen, later died. Stevens told investigators he fired after Martinez's car struck fellow agent Hector Sosa, knocking him onto the hood, and that he feared for the safety of Sosa, himself, other officers and pedestrians. Released Texas Rangers records describe the car as "slowly driving forward" when Stevens fired, and body-camera footage shows the car moving very slowly or not at all, with its brake lights on, though the footage does not show the front of the car or whether it struck Sosa. Joshua Orta, the passenger and sole surviving witness, said before his own death in a February 2026 car crash that the car was "just crawling" and that Martinez did not hit anyone. A Cameron County grand jury declined to indict Stevens on February 25, 2026, and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the agency stands by that finding. Reps. Greg Casar and Robert Garcia have since asked DHS's inspector general to investigate, alleging DHS concealed and misrepresented the circumstances of the shooting for nearly a year. The dispute is whether Stevens's use of ExplainerDeadly forceUnder a 2023 Homeland Security policy, immigration agents may use deadly force only when they reasonably believe someone poses an imminent threat of death or serious injury. The policy bars shooting at a driver unless deadly force against that driver is itself justified.When can federal immigration agents use deadly force? was justified.
Background: When can federal immigration agents use deadly force?
Read the full background
This case classifies responses to whether Stevens's decision to fire at Martinez was justified, not the separate, later-arising questions of whether DHS adequately disclosed the incident or whether the grand jury process was adequate. Stevens's own written statement to investigators says he saw Martinez's car strike Sosa and knock him onto the hood, and that he feared for Sosa's life, his own, other officers' and nearby pedestrians', citing recent vehicle-ramming attacks as being on his mind. Sosa told investigators the car struck his legs. Against that, the Texas Rangers' own report describes the car as "slowly driving forward," and body-camera footage reviewed by multiple outlets shows the car moving very slowly or not at all with its brake lights on — but the footage does not show the vehicle's front or conclusively establish whether it struck Sosa, leaving that pivotal factual question unresolved. Joshua Orta, the only other occupant of the car, told investigators and reporters before his own death that the car was "just crawling" and that Martinez did not hit anyone; he died in an unrelated car crash in San Antonio in late February 2026, days before the grand jury's decision. A Cameron County grand jury declined to indict Stevens on February 25, 2026, and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons has said the agency stands by that finding. Reps. Greg Casar and Robert Garcia's March 24, 2026 letter to DHS's inspector general requests an investigation into the shooting and alleges DHS concealed and misrepresented its circumstances for nearly a year; that letter concerns disclosure and investigative process and is tracked here as background rather than as a direct evaluation of whether the shooting itself was justified.
People in this case
Todd LyonsDirectly involved
Timeline
8 timeline entries on this page. Dates: March 15, 2025 to September 22, 2026
March 2025
Stevens fatally shoots Martinez on South Padre Island
Incident
HSI Special Agent Jack Stevens fired three shots through the driver-side window of Ruben Ray Martinez's car during a traffic stop on South Padre Island. Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen, later died. Stevens said he fired after the car struck fellow agent Hector Sosa.
[01]Video Emerges in Fatal ICE Shooting of US Citizen Ruben Ray Martinez
Source excerpt
Upon observing the vehicle strike SA Sosa causing him to fall onto the hood of the vehicle and driving through the scene, with SA Sosa clinging to the vehicle's hood, I discharged my service issued handgun firing through the open driver's side window striking the driver multiple times.
Newsweek quotes Stevens's own written statement to investigators, in which he says he saw the car strike Sosa and knock him onto the hood before firing, and says he feared for the safety of Sosa, himself, other officers and pedestrians, noting recent vehicle-ramming attacks were on his mind.
Video Emerges in Fatal ICE Shooting of US Citizen Ruben Ray MartinezParagraphs quoting Stevens's written statement to investigators.[02]Texas Tribune: examination of released records on the South Padre Island shooting
Source excerpt
slowly driving forward
The Texas Tribune's examination of released investigative records, including the Texas Rangers' report, which describes Martinez's car as slowly driving forward when he was shot, and confirms Martinez was a U.S. citizen.
Texas Tribune: examination of released records on the South Padre Island shootingParagraphs describing the Texas Rangers' report and its characterization of the vehicle's movement.
February 2026
Sole witness Joshua Orta dies in an unrelated car crash
Joshua Orta, the passenger in Martinez's car and the only other witness to the shooting, died in a car crash in San Antonio, days before the grand jury's decision. He had told investigators and reporters that the car was "just crawling" and that Martinez did not hit anyone.
[03]AP: Key witness who disputed ICE's account of the Martinez shooting dies in car crash
Source excerpt
Martinez "did not hit anyone," Orta said. "This was crazy to me because we were only crawling," he said.
The Associated Press reports that Joshua Orta, the passenger in Martinez's car and sole surviving witness, said their vehicle was "just crawling as we were trying to turn around" and that Martinez did not hit anyone, and that Orta died in a car crash in San Antonio in late February 2026, days before the grand jury's decision. Attorney Stamm, representing Martinez's family, is quoted vouching for Orta's account.
AP: Key witness who disputed ICE's account of the Martinez shooting dies in car crashParagraphs quoting Orta's account and the Martinez family attorney, Stamm.Express-News board calls for outside investigation
Reaction
The Express-News Editorial Board supports independent Justice Department and congressional investigations into the killing of Ruben Ray Martinez. It questions DHS credibility while acknowledging that the agency account could be accurate.
[04]Express-News calls for an independent investigation into Ruben Ray Martinez shooting
The board supports outside investigations while allowing that DHS account may be accurate.
Express-News calls for an independent investigation into Ruben Ray Martinez shootingFebruary 24 editorial, paragraphs beginning "For these reasons", "We agree" and "Perhaps the DHS".Cameron County grand jury declines to indict Stevens
A Cameron County grand jury declined to indict Stevens in Martinez's death, finding no probable cause for an indictment.
[05]Texas Tribune: no indictment in fatal 2025 Texas shooting involving ICE
Source excerpt
grand jury won't indict
The Texas Tribune reports that a Cameron County grand jury declined to indict the agent who shot Martinez, on February 25, 2026.
Texas Tribune: no indictment in fatal 2025 Texas shooting involving ICEParagraphs reporting the Cameron County grand jury's decision not to indict.
March 2026
Investigative records and body-camera footage are released
Source release
Records including the Texas Rangers' report and body-camera footage were released, describing the car as "slowly driving forward" and showing it moving very slowly or not at all with its brake lights on, though not showing the vehicle's front or whether it struck Sosa. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the agency stands by the grand jury's finding.
[02]Texas Tribune: examination of released records on the South Padre Island shooting
Source excerpt
slowly driving forward
The Texas Tribune's examination of released investigative records, including the Texas Rangers' report, which describes Martinez's car as slowly driving forward when he was shot, and confirms Martinez was a U.S. citizen.
Texas Tribune: examination of released records on the South Padre Island shootingParagraphs describing the Texas Rangers' report and its characterization of the vehicle's movement.[06]CBS News: Bodycam video contradicts ICE claims in fatal shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez
Source excerpt
We stand by the grand jury's unanimous decision that found no criminality.
CBS News reports that released body-camera footage shows Martinez's car moving very slowly, if at all, with brake lights visible before and during the shooting, but that the footage does not show the front of the vehicle or whether it struck Sosa. It quotes acting ICE Director Todd Lyons standing by the grand jury's decision.
CBS News: Bodycam video contradicts ICE claims in fatal shooting of Ruben Ray MartinezParagraphs describing the body-camera footage and quoting acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.Reps. Casar and Garcia ask DHS's inspector general to investigate
Reaction
Reps. Greg Casar and Robert Garcia sent a letter to DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari requesting an investigation into Martinez's death, alleging DHS concealed and misrepresented the circumstances of the shooting for nearly a year.
[07]Reps. Casar and Garcia letter to DHS Inspector General Cuffari on the Martinez death
Source excerpt
We write to request you investigate the death of Ruben Ray Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen who was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Reps. Greg Casar and Robert Garcia's March 24, 2026 letter to DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, requesting an investigation into the Martinez shooting and alleging DHS concealed and misrepresented the circumstances of the shooting for nearly a year.
Reps. Casar and Garcia letter to DHS Inspector General Cuffari on the Martinez deathFull text of the letter.
July 2026
Raskin and Jayapal cite Martinez in a body-camera demand
Reaction
Jamie Raskin and Pramila Jayapal sent DHS leaders a letter that challenged accounts of shootings involving Ruben Ray Martinez and demanded functioning body cameras. They called for accountability when officers fail to activate cameras.
[08]Raskin and Jayapal demand functional body cameras for ICE agents
The lawmakers' body-camera demand and criticism of DHS shooting accounts.
Raskin and Jayapal demand functional body cameras for ICE agentsJuly 30 letter, page 2 paragraph naming Marimar Martinez; requests on pages 2-3 and signatures on page 3.
September 2026
Martinez's mother disputes that he posed an immediate danger
Reaction
At a public forum, Rachel Reyes said the video showed her son's car moving slowly before the shooting and stated that she did not see him pose an immediate danger. Her testimony is an attributed family account and does not itself resolve the disputed facts of the shooting.
[09]Families of ICE shooting victims speak at a forum hosted by Sen. Blumenthal and Rep. Garcia
Public C-SPAN recording of a September 22 forum. Rachel Reyes speaks about the shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez at 00:23:41 to 00:24:09. Ronaldo Salgado and Lorenzo Salgado Jr. discuss their father's shooting at 00:48:41.
Families of ICE shooting victims speak at a forum hosted by Sen. Blumenthal and Rep. GarciaClosed-caption transcript at 00:23:41 to 00:24:09 and 00:48:41
Response record
Responses
Choose one response filter, or select All responses to see the full record.
2 matching responses. Newest first.
Todd LyonsActing Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, in a public statementDirectly involvedBefore this statement
The statement came after released body-camera footage showed the car moving very slowly, prompting renewed scrutiny of the shooting.
"We stand by the grand jury's unanimous decision that found no criminality."
Defended or excusedCase context: Was HSI Special Agent Jack Stevens justified in fatally shooting Ruben Ray Martinez?
Full statement and sources
After body-camera footage and records were released, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said the agency stands by the grand jury's unanimous decision that found no criminality in the shooting.
After the statement
Lyons's statement did not address the specific discrepancy between Stevens's account and the footage's depiction of the car's speed.
CBS News: Bodycam video contradicts ICE claims in fatal shooting of Ruben Ray MartinezParagraphs describing the body-camera footage and quoting acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.Why this label?
Lyons's statement affirms the grand jury's finding of no criminality and stands behind the shooting's propriety on the agency's behalf, which defends the conduct under scrutiny.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Jack StevensHSI supervisory special agent who fired the shots, in a written statement to investigatorsDirectly involved Before this statement
The statement was given to investigators as part of the review of the shooting.
"Upon observing the vehicle strike SA Sosa causing him to fall onto the hood of the vehicle and driving through the scene, with SA Sosa clinging to the vehicle's hood, I discharged my service issued handgun firing through the open driver's side window striking the driver multiple times."
Defended or excusedCase context: Was HSI Special Agent Jack Stevens justified in fatally shooting Ruben Ray Martinez?
Full statement and sources
In his written statement to investigators, Stevens said he fired after seeing Martinez's car strike Sosa and knock him onto the hood, and that he feared for the safety of Sosa, himself, other officers and pedestrians, noting that recent vehicle-ramming attacks were on his mind.
After the statement
Released body-camera footage does not show the front of the vehicle or whether it struck Sosa, leaving that account unverified by the footage that has been made public.
Video Emerges in Fatal ICE Shooting of US Citizen Ruben Ray MartinezParagraphs quoting Stevens's written statement to investigators.Why this label?
His own account directly asserts the shooting was a justified response to an imminent threat, so it defends the conduct under scrutiny rather than merely disputing how the incident has been characterized.
This label describes the statement's response within the context above.
Sources
(13)
Reporting
Texas Tribune: examination of released records on the South Padre Island shooting
Relevant passage: Paragraphs describing the Texas Rangers' report and its characterization of the vehicle's movement.
Excerpt
"slowly driving forward"
About this source
The Texas Tribune's examination of released investigative records, including the Texas Rangers' report, which describes Martinez's car as slowly driving forward when he was shot, and confirms Martinez was a U.S. citizen.
- Published
- Accessed
Analysis
Express-News calls for an independent investigation into Ruben Ray Martinez shooting
Relevant passage: February 24 editorial, paragraphs beginning "For these reasons", "We agree" and "Perhaps the DHS".
About this source
The board supports outside investigations while allowing that DHS account may be accurate.
- Author
- Express-News Editorial Board
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Raskin and Jayapal demand functional body cameras for ICE agents
Relevant passage: July 30 letter, page 2 paragraph naming Marimar Martinez; requests on pages 2-3 and signatures on page 3.
About this source
The lawmakers' body-camera demand and criticism of DHS shooting accounts.
- Author
- Jamie Raskin and Pramila Jayapal
- Published
- Accessed
Interview
NBC interview: Ronaldo Salgado calls for investigations of immigration-officer killings
Relevant passage: Section 'Pushing back': paragraph beginning 'Sitting at Las Perras Cafe', which names Ruben Ray Martinez, and the following quotation beginning 'These are lives that are lost'.
About this source
NBC News reports its interview with Ronaldo Salgado at Las Perras Cafe. He names Ruben Ray Martinez among people killed by immigration officers and calls for investigations with the cooperation of the agents and agencies involved. The article was published October 4; it does not give the interview date.
- Author
- Natasha Korecki
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Castro invokes Ruben Ray Martinez while criticizing ICE operations at San Antonio hearing
Relevant passage: October 2 official release, Castro opening remarks, paragraphs naming Ruben Ray Martinez and describing the community as collateral damage.
About this source
The release attributes remarks to Castro at a San Antonio field hearing. He names Ruben Ray Martinez while criticizing ICE operations and calls for accountability. The release gives the hearing date as October 2; it supplies no time for these remarks.
- Author
- Office of Congressman Joaquin Castro
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Congressional Record, House, September 1, 2026, page H5414: Liberty and Justice for All
Relevant passage: Page H5414, Rep. Joaquin Castro's remarks, yielded two minutes by Rep. Norma Torres during the Special Order hour
Excerpt
"Let us remember the names of those whom ICE has murdered. The first one was a San Antonian, Ruben Ray Martinez. There was another Texan, Lorenzo Salgado Araujo of Houston. Renee Good, Alex Pretti, and Johan Sebastian Duran Guerrero--these folks were victims of the ICE murders."
About this source
Verbatim record of Rep. Joaquin Castro's two-minute remarks on September 1, 2026, during a Special Order hour on deaths in immigration enforcement and detention, led by Rep. Norma Torres.
- Author
- U.S. Congress
- Published
- Accessed
Original video
Families of ICE shooting victims speak at a forum hosted by Sen. Blumenthal and Rep. Garcia
Rachel Reyes describes video of the shooting of her son, Ruben Martinez, and Lorenzo Salgado Araujo's sons ask for the names of the agents who shot their father, at a Sept. 22, 2026 forum held by Sen. Richard Blumenthal and Rep. Robert Garcia.
Two excerpts joined by a one-second black gap: about 37:50 to 38:51 and 1:01:17 to 1:02:31 of the committee Democrats' video of the forum. The C-SPAN recording cited for this source shows the same remarks. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Democrats. Public domain (U.S. government work) (opens in a new tab)
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: Closed-caption transcript at 00:23:41 to 00:24:09 and 00:48:41)
About this source
Public C-SPAN recording of a September 22 forum. Rachel Reyes speaks about the shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez at 00:23:41 to 00:24:09. Ronaldo Salgado and Lorenzo Salgado Jr. discuss their father's shooting at 00:48:41.
- Published
- Accessed
Original text
Reps. Casar and Garcia letter to DHS Inspector General Cuffari on the Martinez death
Relevant passage: Full text of the letter.
Excerpt
"We write to request you investigate the death of Ruben Ray Martinez, a 23-year-old U.S. citizen who was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement."
About this source
Reps. Greg Casar and Robert Garcia's March 24, 2026 letter to DHS Inspector General Joseph Cuffari, requesting an investigation into the Martinez shooting and alleging DHS concealed and misrepresented the circumstances of the shooting for nearly a year.
- Author
- Rep. Greg Casar, Rep. Robert Garcia
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Texas Tribune: no indictment in fatal 2025 Texas shooting involving ICE
Relevant passage: Paragraphs reporting the Cameron County grand jury's decision not to indict.
Excerpt
"grand jury won't indict"
About this source
The Texas Tribune reports that a Cameron County grand jury declined to indict the agent who shot Martinez, on February 25, 2026.
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
AP: Key witness who disputed ICE's account of the Martinez shooting dies in car crash
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting Orta's account and the Martinez family attorney, Stamm.
Excerpt
"Martinez "did not hit anyone," Orta said. "This was crazy to me because we were only crawling," he said."
About this source
The Associated Press reports that Joshua Orta, the passenger in Martinez's car and sole surviving witness, said their vehicle was "just crawling as we were trying to turn around" and that Martinez did not hit anyone, and that Orta died in a car crash in San Antonio in late February 2026, days before the grand jury's decision. Attorney Stamm, representing Martinez's family, is quoted vouching for Orta's account.
- Author
- Michael Biesecker, Jesse Bedayn (AP)
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
CBS News: Bodycam video contradicts ICE claims in fatal shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez
Relevant passage: Paragraphs describing the body-camera footage and quoting acting ICE Director Todd Lyons.
Excerpt
"We stand by the grand jury's unanimous decision that found no criminality."
About this source
CBS News reports that released body-camera footage shows Martinez's car moving very slowly, if at all, with brake lights visible before and during the shooting, but that the footage does not show the front of the vehicle or whether it struck Sosa. It quotes acting ICE Director Todd Lyons standing by the grand jury's decision.
- Author
- Camilo Montoya-Galvez, Jared Eggleston, Brad Hodges, Joe Walsh
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
Video Emerges in Fatal ICE Shooting of US Citizen Ruben Ray Martinez
Relevant passage: Paragraphs quoting Stevens's written statement to investigators.
Excerpt
"Upon observing the vehicle strike SA Sosa causing him to fall onto the hood of the vehicle and driving through the scene, with SA Sosa clinging to the vehicle's hood, I discharged my service issued handgun firing through the open driver's side window striking the driver multiple times."
About this source
Newsweek quotes Stevens's own written statement to investigators, in which he says he saw the car strike Sosa and knock him onto the hood before firing, and says he feared for the safety of Sosa, himself, other officers and pedestrians, noting recent vehicle-ramming attacks were on his mind.
- Author
- Billal Rahman, Dan Gooding
- Published
- Accessed
Reporting
How the unreported killing of an American by ICE shattered two Texas families
Relevant passage: Sections recounting Alex Stamm’s assessment and Rachel Reyes’s first public interview
Excerpt
"“Ruben didn’t place anyone in danger of death or serious injury, and that it wasn’t legally or morally justifiable to kill Ruben in these circumstances.”"
About this source
The report compares official descriptions of the encounter with witness, family and attorney accounts.
- Author
- Lomi Kriel
- Published
- Accessed
Corrections
(1)
Corrections address errors in our reporting or labels. When a speaker changes their position, we add a separate statement and link it to the earlier one.
Reporting correction
Correction to: Statement by Joshua Orta
- Previous language
- He also told us unequivocally that Ruben did not hit anyone.
- Corrected language
- just crawling as we were trying to turn around did not hit anyone This was crazy to me because we were only crawling.
We showed a remark by the Martinez family's attorney, Alex Stamm, as a quotation from Joshua Orta. Stamm made it while describing Orta's account. The quotation now shows the words the Associated Press attributes to Orta himself, taken from a draft affidavit, and the summary and role line now say the account comes from that draft affidavit rather than from statements to investigators and reporters.
This corrects our account of what happened.
The Associated Press reports that Joshua Orta, the passenger in Martinez's car and sole surviving witness, said their vehicle was "just crawling as we were trying to turn around" and that Martinez did not hit anyone, and that Orta died in a car crash in San Antonio in late February 2026, days before the grand jury's decision. Attorney Stamm, representing Martinez's family, is quoted vouching for Orta's account.
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- Was HSI Special Agent Jack Stevens justified in fatally shooting Ruben Ray Martinez?
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The Dispute Index. "Was HSI Special Agent Jack Stevens justified in fatally shooting Ruben Ray Martinez?". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-10-06. https://disputeindex.com/cases/was-hsi-special-agent-jack-stevens-justified-in-fatally-shooting-ruben-ray-martinez