Border Patrol Agent’s Texts Reveal Bragging After Chicago Shooting
Text messages from a Maine-based Border Patrol agent indicate he boasted to colleagues about his shooting skills following an incident where he wounded a woman in Chicago on October 4th.
Agent Charles Exum, temporarily assigned to Chicago, shot Marimar Martinez five times after authorities allege she and Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz rammed vehicles into the SUV Exum was driving on the city’s Southwest Side. The messages were presented as evidence in federal court yesterday. According to the texts, Exum wrote he had “an amendment to add to” his story: “I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys.” Martinez, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen, and Ruiz, 21, are charged with assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon.
During questioning by Chris Parente, an attorney for Martinez, Exum testified he is a firearms instructor and “I take pride in my shooting skills,” as reported by the Chicago Sun-Times. Concerns have also been raised regarding potential evidence tampering, as the SUV involved was transported to Exum’s station in Maine, where scuff marks were buffed out after photographs were taken. Martinez maintains, through court documents, that the Border Patrol vehicle initiated contact by swerving and sideswiping her car. This case adds to a growing number of accusations against federal agents in Chicago regarding excessive force, particularly during protests related to immigration policies – a situation that has led to multiple lawsuits and increased scrutiny of federal law enforcement tactics.
Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis announced she will order federal agents in Chicago to restrict their use of force against peaceful protesters and the media, citing violations of constitutional rights; the Trump administration is expected to appeal the ruling. The Department of Homeland Security stated agents were “rammed by vehicles and boxed in by 10 cars” and fired defensively after a suspect attempted to run them over, adding that Martinez was armed with a semiautomatic weapon.
Officials stated they will review the texts and evidence presented in court as the legal proceedings continue.
