A newly surfaced surveillance video is raising serious questions about the Department of Homeland Security’s account of a Border Patrol shooting involving a U.S. citizen, after federal officials initially described the woman as a “domestic terrorist” and claimed agents acted in self-defense.
The incident dates back to October 4, when Marimar Martinez, an American citizen, was shot multiple times by a U.S. Border Patrol agent during an encounter in Chicago. DHS previously alleged Martinez had boxed in agents with her vehicle and posed an imminent threat. Her attorneys now say newly obtained video footage directly contradicts that narrative.
According to Martinez’s legal team, surveillance footage from a nearby business shows the agent’s vehicle was not surrounded and had a clear path forward at the moment shots were fired. The video, reviewed by investigators and presented in court filings, appears to show Martinez driving away from the agent rather than toward him.
Federal court records confirm that Border Patrol agent Charles Exum fired five rounds into Martinez’s vehicle, striking her multiple times. Martinez survived and later required emergency medical treatment before being arrested by federal authorities on charges related to assaulting or obstructing officers.
Those charges were later dropped, and a judge dismissed the case.
Internal communications disclosed during court proceedings have intensified scrutiny of the shooting. Text messages attributed to the agent appear to celebrate the incident, while body-camera footage captured moments before the shooting reportedly includes inflammatory remarks from another agent.
DHS has maintained that the agent fired in self-defense, asserting Martinez was armed and had a history of targeting federal officers online. Martinez disputes those claims, stating that while she legally owns a firearm, it remained holstered and unused throughout the encounter.
The case is now drawing broader attention as part of a growing national debate over immigration enforcement tactics and the use of force by federal agents. Martinez is among nearly 150 U.S. citizens DHS says have been arrested in recent years for allegedly interfering with immigration operations.
Legal analysts say the emergence of video evidence challenging the government’s original account could carry significant implications, particularly as public trust in federal law enforcement remains strained amid a series of high-profile incidents involving ICE and Border Patrol agents.
DHS has not announced whether it will revise its public statements in light of the new footage.
