In the shadow of President Trump’s escalating immigration crackdown, a routine patrol in Chicago’s working-class Brighton Park neighborhood turned into a nightmare for 30-year-old Marimar Martinez last weekend.
What started as a high-stakes vehicle chase ended with federal agents opening fire on her car, leaving her with seven gunshot wounds from just five bullets.
Now, her attorney is painting a picture of provocation straight out of a bad action movie – claiming bodycam video catches an officer goading her with the words, “Do something, bitch,” moments before pulling the trigger.
Martinez, a local mother of two who’s lived in Chicago her entire life, was behind the wheel of her beat-up sedan when the chaos unfolded early Saturday morning.
According to federal prosecutors, she and 21-year-old Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz were part of a “convoy of civilian vehicles” that aggressively tailed a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) SUV carrying three agents.
The pursuit, allegedly say, culminated in Martinez’s car slamming into the government vehicle, forcing it into a spin and boxing it in on a quiet side street.
Attorney Challenges Federal Narrative
But Martinez’s lawyer, Christopher Parente, isn’t buying the narrative of a reckless assault.
Speaking at a tense detention hearing Monday, Parente described reviewing the bodycam footage – which remains under wraps from the public – and what he saw chilled him.
“The officer in the driver’s seat suddenly cranks the wheel to the left, jumps out of the vehicle, and just starts shooting,” Parente told the court, his voice steady but edged with disbelief.
He recounted the alleged taunt, a phrase that hung in the air like a dare: “Do something, bitch.”
Parente didn’t mince words about the human cost. Nor should he ever with a dangerous situation like this.
“What I do know is it was Ms. Martinez who has seven holes in her body from five shots from this agent, who fired within seconds of getting out of this vehicle,” he said, the weight of those words landing hard in the courtroom.
Martinez, a concealed-carry permit holder, had a loaded semi-automatic handgun in her purse at the time – a fact prosecutors were quick to highlight – but Parente emphasized she never drew it or threatened anyone.
The U.S. attorney’s office, led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Hennessy, pushed back fiercely during the hearing.
Hennessy called the drivers’ actions “extremely dangerous and extremely reckless,” insisting the bodycam captured agents’ growing panic: “We’re getting boxed in! We gotta get out of here! She’s going to make contact!” Sure enough, contact was made – the CBP SUV took a hit, and as one agent stepped out to assess, prosecutors allege Martinez accelerated straight toward him.
That’s when the shots rang out, about five in rapid succession, shattering glass and piercing flesh.
A Desperate Escape
Martinez didn’t stick around.
Bleeding and in shock, she drove roughly a mile to a nearby auto repair shop, where stunned mechanics called 911.
Paramedics rushed her to Mount Sinai Hospital, where doctors marveled at her survival – those seven entry and exit wounds a grim testament to the close-range fury of the encounter.
Both she and Ruiz now face federal charges of “forcibly assaulting, impeding, and interfering with a federal law enforcement officer,” but in a swift turn, U.S. District Judge [redacted for brevity] ordered their release pending trial, citing disputes over the evidence.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has doubled down on its version, noting Martinez’s alleged online doxxing of agents the week before – sharing what they call sensitive personal details.
Yet, curiously, the criminal complaint filed against her makes no mention of her being armed during the incident, leaving room for questions about how that detail factors in.
Chicago Braces for More Tension
This isn’t just a one-off tragedy; it’s a flashpoint in Trump’s second-term push to ramp up deportations in so-called “sanctuary cities” like Chicago. Trump is as much to blame as these hot-headed agents are.
Federal agents have blanketed the city, scouring neighborhoods for undocumented immigrants, and the backlash has been fierce.
Protests erupted over the weekend, with demonstrators facing off against lines of CBP officers behind yellow caution tape – a scene eerily captured in photos from the standoff.
And it’s not letting up: National Guard troops from Texas are en route to Illinois, greenlit by U.S. District Judge April Perry, who denied an emergency injunction in a lawsuit filed by state officials.
For Martinez’s family, the politics feel distant and cruel.
Her sister, speaking outside the courthouse on a crisp fall afternoon, wiped away tears as she clutched a faded photo of Marimar with her kids.
“She’s no criminal – she’s fighting for her home, just like the rest of us,” she said, her voice cracking. “How does this happen in America?”
Calls for Transparency Grow
As the bodycam footage stays locked away, calls are growing for its immediate release. There is unease in Chicago as the Trump administration continue their ruthless course.
Community leaders, immigrant rights groups, and even some Chicago aldermen are demanding transparency, warning that without it, trust in federal law enforcement – already frayed – could shatter entirely.
In a city where immigration weaves through every block and family story, this shooting isn’t just news; it’s a raw nerve exposed.
The investigation continues, with the FBI now involved.
For now, Martinez recovers at home, bandaged but unbroken, while Ruiz keeps a low profile.
Their next court date looms, but one thing’s very clear: In the heart of the Windy City, the echoes of those shots are still reverberating, demanding answers in a debate that’s only getting louder.
Also Read: Trump Now Aims to Make the Country a GOP Nation
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