Border Agent Who Shot Woman Bragged on His Marksmanship

A Customs and Border Protection agent who shot a Chicago woman during a collision of their vehicles last month is facing scrutiny after records revealed he boasted about his marksmanship in text messages to colleagues. Charles Exum shot Marimar Martinez five times on Oct. 4, after the collision in the city's Brighton Park neighborhood, Reuters reports. Exum claims that Martinez struck his vehicle, while she contends that his vehicle rammed hers. Prosecutors argue the shooting was in self-defense. Martinez, who was reportedly warning others about immigration agents in the area, was later indicted alongside Anthony Ian Santos Ruiz on charges of impeding a federal officer with a deadly weapon—specifically, her car, per ABC News.

During a hearing on Wednesday in the case against Martinez, prosecutors presented messages Exum sent in a group chat with other agents in which he wrote: "I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys." In a separate message, he shared a news article about the shooting and added: "Read it. 5 shots, 7 holes." When questioned about the messages, Exum, a firearms instructor, said he was proud of his shooting skills, per Reuters. The hearing also raised questions about the handling of Exum's government-issued vehicle after the shooting. Exum drove the vehicle from Chicago to Maine, where it was repaired by a Customs and Border Protection mechanic before the defendants could examine it.

The government said the FBI had taken photos and paint samples before releasing the vehicle to Exum, but defense attorneys challenged the sequence of events and whether Exum should have known to preserve the vehicle as evidence. Exum maintained that he believed preservation was unnecessary since the vehicle had been released to him by the FBI. The shooting occurred against the backdrop of a Trump administration immigration enforcement surge in Chicago. The shooting sparked protests at the scene, with agents deploying tear gas. During a hearing last month, Martinez's lawyer said body-camera footage showed the agent taunting her before he shot her.