Marimar Martinez, 30 years old, a teaching assistant and US citizen, not a wanted criminal, was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent on October 4 in Chicago. Criminal charges were initially filed against her, alleging that she had assaulted federal officers with her vehicle. Those charges were later dismissed. Shortly after a Border Patrol agent in Chicago fired five shots at Marimar Martinez, he received a message from the very top. Gregory Bovino, at the time responsible for nationwide raids as part of the intensified immigration offensive, wrote to him: “Given your outstanding performance in Chicago, you have a lot ahead of you!!”
Charles Exum apparently took a screenshot of that message and forwarded it to a family member. In internal text messages written on the day of the shooting, he stated that Martinez had “tried to run me over,” and later testified in court: “I did what I had to do to save my life.” At the same time, he explained that a friendly group of officers exchanged messages to “blow off steam.” The chats now released, however, quickly reveal a different tone: one colleague called Exum “a legend among the officers,” another wrote: “Damn!! I’m gone a few weeks and it’s like Iraq out here.”
“I have an MOF addendum to my account. I fired 5 shots and she had 7 holes. Put that in your report, guys.” - (“MOF” in a law enforcement context stands for “Memorandum of Force.” It is an internal report or formal addendum documenting the use of force during an operation. When an officer uses a weapon, he must document what occurred - an MOF is therefore a type of official supplement to the incident report, specifically to justify the use of force - Editor’s note)
Bovino did not respond to the allegations. The White House referred questions to the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice. Customs and Border Protection stated that Exum had been placed on leave “in accordance with policy,” and that all significant uses of force are reviewed by an independent panel.
Die Einschüsse sind noch klar zu erkennen
This email is part of an extensive body of evidence now released by federal prosecutors. The documents originate from the now dismissed criminal case against Martinez. She had been accused of attacking federal officers with her car and thereby obstructing immigration enforcement operations. We had already fully documented this case - including our own research, video analysis, and chronological reconstruction. We provided our entire material, as did others, to the appropriate authorities. The charges were dropped after her attorneys raised substantial doubts about the preservation of evidence.
Trump’s Campaign Against Chicago
(Article from October 5, 2025)
On Saturday morning, an unremarkable intersection in southwest Chicago turned into a reflection of American power politics. Against the backdrop of escalating immigration raids, a federal officer shot a female driver who – according to Washington – had tried to ram a law enforcement vehicle, armed with a semiautomatic weapon. Evidence? None? The woman, a U.S. citizen named Marimar Martinez, survived, was taken to a hospital, and later placed in FBI custody. The Department of Homeland Security stated that the officers had only defended themselves after their vehicle was “boxed in by ten cars.” But witnesses describe the situation differently. A woman was shot, another man – Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz – arrested, allegedly also involved in the incident. His mother, Elizabeth Ruiz, said her son had called her during the gunfire, panicked and confused, before agents overpowered him. When she asked why he was being arrested, she received no answer.
Martinez survived. The administration had publicly labeled her a “domestic terrorist.” It was precisely that designation she sought to challenge in court. Her defense requested the release of the collected evidence - and succeeded.
Body camera footage that can no longer be dismissed
The newly released videos show the interior of Agent Charles Exum’s SUV in the seconds before the collision. Martinez was following the vehicle. She honked and shouted “La migra,” the Spanish term for immigration authorities. Officials had initially stated that she had “rammed” officers. In court, Exum later described it as a side contact.
The footage shows that several officers had already drawn their weapons before the impact. A voice says: “It’s time to get aggressive.” Another says: “We’re going to have contact and we’re boxed in.” Seconds later, Exum jerks the steering wheel to the left. The vehicle stops. He jumps out. Five shots are heard. Additional photos in the case show the damaged vehicle of the agent, the blood stained interior of Martinez’s Nissan, the floor of a workshop she drove into after the shooting. In her purse was a legally purchased handgun that had not been drawn. A corresponding form lists her as the lawful purchaser. Officially, Exum was reassigned to paid administrative duty. The Border Patrol stated that any serious firearm discharge is reviewed. Bovino himself did not comment. After the federal government shifted its focus from Chicago to Minneapolis, he was removed from his role as “Commander at Large.”
The case does not stand alone. In Minnesota, Renee Good and Alex Pretti were fatally shot by federal officers. There as well, the official classification was “domestic terrorism.” In Chicago, however, a chronology now exists that documents the sequence almost second by second. Martinez has since appeared on a television program and spoke before Democratic members of Congress in Washington. “Before this latest war against immigrants,” she said, “we were a country where law enforcement acted lawfully and with respect for human life.”
Marimar Martinez’s attorney, Christopher V. Parente, criticized the unannounced release of investigative materials by federal prosecutors. He was referring to the videos, photographs, and internal messages collected as part of the now dismissed criminal case against Martinez. Parente described it as an attempt by the government to cushion the political impact of the material. At the same time, the legal team announced plans to seek damages in the tens of millions. Martinez intends to attend the next State of the Union address. What becomes visible here is more than a single discharge of a firearm. It concerns how federal force is applied, communicated, and internally evaluated. When five shots are followed by a congratulatory email, the standard of what is considered appropriate shifts. The legal phase is only beginning. The political impact is already here.
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