SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, Texas — Texas State Sen. Roland Gutierrez has emerged as one of the most vocal elected officials demanding answers in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez, whose death in March 2025 has drawn renewed scrutiny following the release of internal federal records.
Ruben Ray Martinez, a San Antonio resident, was shot and killed on March 15, 2025, in South Padre Island during what authorities later confirmed was a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) operation conducted alongside local law enforcement.
At the time of the incident, public reports described it only as an officer-involved shooting, without disclosing that a federal immigration agent had fired the shots.
Nearly a year later, documents obtained through a public records request revealed that an HSI supervisory special agent discharged multiple rounds through the driver-side window of Martinez’s vehicle during a traffic-related encounter.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has stated that Martinez allegedly struck a federal agent with his vehicle, prompting what it described as defensive gunfire.
Sen. Roland Gutierrez, a Democrat representing Uvalde, has sharply criticized the delay in publicly acknowledging federal involvement.
Speaking publicly about the case, Gutierrez questioned why it took investigative reporting and a records request to confirm that an ICE-affiliated agent was responsible for the fatal shooting.
“We just found out that ICE agents shot and killed 23-year-old Ruben Ray Martinez a year ago,” Gutierrez said. “The people of Texas deserve transparency.
When an American citizen dies at the hands of a federal agent, that information should not be hidden from the public.”
Gutierrez has suggested that the lack of immediate disclosure undermines public trust in both state and federal authorities.
He has called for a full and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Martinez’s death, including the release of body camera footage, dashcam video, and detailed incident reports.
According to public statements from the Department of Homeland Security, Martinez allegedly failed to comply with law enforcement commands and accelerated his vehicle, striking an HSI agent before the shooting occurred.
Martinez was transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The Texas Department of Public Safety has confirmed that the Texas Rangers are continuing to investigate the case but have not released further findings.
Gutierrez has emphasized that transparency is essential regardless of the outcome of the investigation.
“If the use of force was justified, then show the evidence,” he said. “If mistakes were made, then there must be accountability. Either way, Texans deserve the truth.”
The senator also connected the case to broader concerns about federal immigration enforcement operations in Texas, noting that this was one of multiple fatal encounters involving U.S. citizens and immigration agents in recent months nationwide.
Martinez’s family has described him as a young man celebrating his birthday at the beach at the time of the incident.
His mother told reporters that her son was visiting South Padre Island with a close friend when the events unfolded.
As investigations continue, Sen. Roland Gutierrez has pledged to continue pressing for full disclosure of the facts surrounding the death of Ruben Ray Martinez, stating that justice and public accountability must remain the priority.
