Federal prosecutors have filed to dismiss assault charges against Miramar Martinez and co-defendant Anthony Ruiz after an Oct. 4 collision with a Border Patrol vehicle in Chicago. Agent Charles Exum fired into Martinez's car; court records say she was struck seven times. Defense attorneys say Exum sideswiped the vehicle before using excessive force, and prosecutors disclosed messages in which Exum appeared to boast about firing five shots. The motion to dismiss is pending as the case and questions about agents' tactics remain under scrutiny.
Federal Prosecutors Move to Dismiss Charges After Woman Shot Seven Times in Border Patrol Traffic Incident
Federal prosecutors have filed to dismiss assault charges against Miramar Martinez and co-defendant Anthony Ruiz after an Oct. 4 collision with a Border Patrol vehicle in Chicago. Agent Charles Exum fired into Martinez's car; court records say she was struck seven times. Defense attorneys say Exum sideswiped the vehicle before using excessive force, and prosecutors disclosed messages in which Exum appeared to boast about firing five shots. The motion to dismiss is pending as the case and questions about agents' tactics remain under scrutiny.
03:26 AM, 11/21/2025Conflict
Federal prosecutors have moved to dismiss assault charges against Miramar Martinez and her co-defendant, Anthony Ruiz, stemming from an Oct. 4 traffic confrontation with Border Patrol agents in Chicago.
Court filings state that Martinez's vehicle collided with a Border Patrol vehicle driven by veteran agent Charles Exum. Prosecutors say Exum then exited his vehicle and fired multiple rounds into Martinez's car; court records indicate she was wounded seven times.
Martinez's attorneys contend that Exum first sideswiped her vehicle and that his response amounted to an excessive and unjustified use of force. The defense account differs sharply from the agents' version of events and prompted federal review of the case.
At a recent hearing, prosecutors introduced messages from a group chat of Border Patrol personnel in which Exum appeared to describe the shooting in boastful terms. According to court records, he posted a link to a news report and wrote: "Read it ... I fired 5 shots and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys."
Excerpt from court testimony:
Defense counsel: "And what did you mean by 'Read it. 5 shots'? Why are you pointing that fact out?"
Exum: "I'm a firearms instructor. And I take pride in my shooting skills."
Exum, a long‑time Border Patrol agent, described the chat group as a way colleagues relieve stress. His remarks drew sharp questioning from the defense during cross‑examination.
The October incident is one of several recent collisions involving federal agents during immigration operations in Chicago. In a separate late‑October encounter, bystander video showed agents exiting a vehicle with guns drawn after a collision; that episode resulted in the forceful removal and temporary detention of another woman, authorities said.
Federal prosecutors' motion asks the court to dismiss the assault charges against Martinez and Ruiz. It remains unclear whether the motion will be granted; the case continues to draw scrutiny amid broader concerns about use of force by agents during immigration enforcement operations.