The federal immigration brokers who shot Marimar Martinez five times in October had stated minutes earlier that it’s “time to get aggressive” earlier than swerving their patrol automotive into the Chicago instructor’s automobile and opening fireplace, in line with newly launched physique digital camera footage of the three Border Patrol brokers.
A decide launched the footage from one of many brokers on Wednesday after a months-long court battle to release evidence within the Division of Homeland Safety’s now-dissolved legal case in opposition to the 30-year-old lady. Martinez stated she needed the federal courtroom to launch the federal government’s proof in order that the general public might see how DHS lied about her case.
In accordance with the footage, two of the brokers already had their weapons drawn inside their automotive whereas driving by means of the town’s South Facet. Driving subsequent to them, Martinez begins honking to alert the world of Border Patrol’s presence whereas one other automotive does the identical, driving behind the brokers.
“Do one thing, bitch,” one agent is heard saying, earlier than one other says, “It’s time to get aggressive and get the fuck out.”
Border Patrol had beforehand claimed that agent Charles Exum, the motive force in Wednesday’s video, shot Martinez as a result of she rammed into their unmarked car. The accusation led to DHS urgent expenses in opposition to Martinez and calling her a domestic terrorist.
However the brand new bodycam footage exhibits that it was Border Patrol and never Martinez who rammed their car. An agent within the video is heard voicing intent to hit one thing, saying, “We’re gonna make contact and we’re boxed in.” Exum then swerves a pointy left into Martinez’s automotive earlier than leaping out and instantly firing 5 gunshots.
Martinez survived the encounter whereas the brokers and their bosses — together with former Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino — celebrated the taking pictures, in accordance to text messages that have been launched alongside the bodycam video. Whereas DHS eventually dropped the case in opposition to Martinez, the company has but to retract its lies concerning the U.S. citizen and Montessori instructor.
“It’s the playbook,” Martinez’s lawyer, Chris Parente, told CNN. “What do you suppose the following guys are gonna do? They wish to be the shooters.
“The rationale they’re not serving to Ms. [Renee] Good whereas she’s bleeding out on the streets of Minneapolis is as a result of they’re checking their telephones to see if Bovino has emailed them providing them one thing,” he continued. “It’s disgusting and it’ll not change till the American individuals say, ‘Sufficient is sufficient, and we wish accountability from our elected officers.’”
Jacek Boczarski/Anadolu by way of Getty Pictures
Exum has been positioned on administrative depart whereas Border Patrol investigates the use-of-force incident, DHS stated.
Martinez and Parente are actually pursuing a criticism in opposition to DHS below the Federal Tort Claims, step one in direction of submitting a civil lawsuit for damages from the taking pictures. The Chicagoan additionally testified earlier than Congress earlier this week about immigration brokers utilizing power in opposition to the general public.
“Marimar is gonna proceed to battle as a result of she’s one of many few individuals who survived these bullets,” Parente advised CNN. “Sadly, these guys are wonderful marksmen and so they’ve been in a position to kill Ms. Good, they’ve been in a position to kill Mr. [Alex] Pretti, they killed Silverio Gonzalez right here in Chicago.”
