An American citizen who was shot by a Customs and Border Protection agent during a Chicago immigration crackdown has filed a lawsuit against the federal government, alleging the agent lied about the circumstances and fired from behind her vehicle.
The lawsuit claims that on Oct. 4, 2025, Marimar Martinez was driving in Chicago’s southwest side when CBP agent Charles Exum opened fire after a brief exchange. Federal prosecutors had initially accused Martinez of using her car to strike and box in Exum’s SUV, but within a month the charges were dismissed in a dramatic reversal of the case.
Martinez’s attorneys say they commissioned an expert analysis of bullet trajectories and injuries that shows Exum was not in the path of her car when he fired. The expert concluded he walked several feet toward her vehicle and fired five shots in less than a second, with the last shot coming from the rear side of her car. The evidence cited three bullet holes in the right passenger side windshield, a fourth through the front passenger side window, and a fifth in the back of the seat, indicating a shot from behind.
CBP responded that Exum has been placed on administrative leave and that use‑of‑force incidents are thoroughly investigated and presented to an independent board. The lawsuit, filed under the Federal Tort Claims Act, does not name individual agents as defendants.
The complaint also references body‑worn camera footage of other agents in Exum’s vehicle encouraging aggression, and messages from former Border Patrol head Greg Bovino praising Exum. Martinez, who was taken from the hospital while “wheelchair bound” and with leaking bullet holes, has cited other federal shootings in Chicago, Texas, Maine, and Minnesota as part of the broader issue she seeks to address in her suit.
