Grand jury rejects indictment over federal officer’s shooting of US citizen

The Guardian • February 25, 2026 • general

Key Points:

A grand jury declined to indict over the fatal shooting of Ruben Ray Martinez by a federal immigration agent during a traffic stop in Texas on March 15, 2025, according to prosecutors.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) alleged Martinez intentionally ran over a Homeland Security agent, prompting defensive gunfire from another agent to protect themselves and the public.
The incident was not publicly disclosed by DHS until recently, following media reports, and is one of at least six deadly shootings by federal officers since a nationwide immigration crackdown began during Donald Trump's second term.
A key witness, passenger Joshua Orta, disputed DHS's account in a draft affidavit, stating Martinez did not hit an officer and that shots were fired without warning;