Charges Dropped Against Woman Shot by Border Patrol Agent in Chicago

Federal prosecutors moved Thursday to dismiss charges against Marimar Martinez, who was shot multiple times by a Border Patrol agent after allegedly using her car to assault federal law enforcement in Chicago six weeks ago.

Martinez and her co-defendant, Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz, had pleaded not guilty last month to Justice Department charges. Thay were accused of using their vehicles to assault, impede, and interfere with federal agents in Chicago.

Andrew S. Boutros, the United States attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, filed documents Thursday morning requesting the charges be dismissed.

Prosecutors stated that Border Patrol agent Charles Exum shot Martinez in self-defense after she and Santos Ruiz allegedly rammed their cars into a federal vehicle on October 4th.

According to prosecutors, “After striking the agents’ vehicle, the defendants’ vehicles boxed in the agents’ vehicle,” as stated in a previous statement when the charges were announced. “The agent couldn’t move his vehicle and exited, then fired approximately five shots from his service weapon at martinez.”

Martinez’s legal team maintained that federal agents initiated the contact and rammed her vehicle.