Here is a detailed timestamp breakdown of the body-worn camera and dashcam footage obtained and released in early March 2026:
0:00 to 0:06: A dark-colored sedan drives slowly on a roadway at night as officers repeatedly yell commands to “Stop”.
0:07 to 0:21: An officer running toward the scene captures bodycam footage of multiple law enforcement personnel swarming the vehicle. Officers can be heard yelling commands such as “Stop the vehicle!” and “Get him out!”.
0:22 to 0:25: Following a chaotic confrontation, an officer rapidly reports “Shots fired, shots fired” over the radio.
0:26 to 0:49: The footage shows the vehicle stopped and surrounded by flashing emergency lights. Text overlays claim the driver drove into a restricted area and failed to follow instructions.
0:50 to 0:56: An overhead dashcam-style angle shows the vehicle slowing briefly before accelerating forward and appearing to strike an individual standing in its path. A text overlay identifies this individual as an HSI special agent.
0:57 to 1:01: A text overlay states an HSI agent fired multiple rounds through the open driver’s side window. Officers continue commanding the occupants to get out of the vehicle.
1:02 to 1:35: Officers approach the driver’s side door and command the individual to stay down. A person is pulled from the vehicle and placed onto the ground. An officer requests an ambulance, noting the individual has an “impact gunshot wound”.
1:36 to 1:50: Medical personnel provide aid to the individual on the ground next to an ambulance.
1:51 to 2:00: An officer informs another individual (the passenger) that they are being detained but not arrested while authorities figure out what happened. The footage ends with a note that Martinez was pronounced dead at 1:27 a.m.
Multiple outlets report that the vehicle appears stationary or at a very low rate of speed when the shots were fired. Watch the full bodycam compilation here: Newsweek video report with footage.
The Fatal ICE Shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez
On March 15, 2025, 23-year-old U.S. citizen Ruben Ray Martinez was fatally shot by a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent in South Padre Island, Texas. The fact that ICE agents were involved was not publicly disclosed by the Department of Homeland Security for nearly 11 months.
Federal agents were assisting local police with directing traffic around an auto accident that night. According to DHS, Martinez ignored directions, drove into a restricted area, and intentionally ran over an HSI agent with his vehicle. The agency stated that another agent then fired defensive shots to protect himself and others. The agent who was reportedly struck suffered a knee injury and was later released.
However, the bodycam footage appears to show Martinez’s vehicle was either stationary or moving very slowly when the fatal shots were fired through the driver’s side window. After the shooting, Martinez was pulled from the car, placed face down on the ground, and handcuffed before receiving medical attention. He was transported to Valley Regional Medical Center and pronounced dead at 1:27 a.m.
Joshua Orta, the passenger in the vehicle and Martinez’s best friend, provided a statement saying Martinez did not hit anyone and that they were attempting to comply with commands. Orta later died in an unrelated car crash in February 2026.
In February 2026, internal records obtained by the watchdog group American Oversight first revealed ICE’s role in the incident. A Texas grand jury later declined to indict the HSI agent who fired the shots. The Texas Rangers investigation remains ongoing.
The delayed disclosure has drawn strong criticism from Martinez’s family and several lawmakers, including U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro, who has demanded a full congressional investigation and complete transparency.
Sources and Further Reading
Newsweek: Video emerges in fatal ICE shooting of US citizen Ruben Ray Martinez (March 2026) https://www.newsweek.com/video-emerges-fatal-ice-shooting-us-citizen-ruben-ray-martinez-11636900
CBS News: Bodycam video contradicts ICE claims in fatal shooting of U.S. citizen Ruben Ray Martinez in Texas https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bodycam-video-ice-fatal-shooting-ruben-ray-martinez-texas/
CBS News: Records show ICE agent fatally shot U.S. citizen nearly one year ago in Texas https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ice-agent-fatally-shot-u-s-citizen-nearly-one-year-ago-texas-ruben-ray-martinez/
Congressman Joaquin Castro press release demanding full disclosure https://castro.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/congressman-castro-demands-full-disclosure-from-ice-and-texas-dps-regarding-fatal-shooting-of-us-citizen-ruben-ray-martinez
American Oversight on the undisclosed ICE shooting and records https://americanoversight.org/lawmakers-call-for-investigation-after-records-reveal-undisclosed-ice-shooting-death-of-u-s-citizen/
