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What date was US citizen Martinez shot at by Agents in Chicago
Executive summary
Reporting across major outlets says U.S. citizen Marimar Martinez was shot by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent in Chicago on October 4, 2025; multiple sources report she was shot five times [1] [2] [3]. Court filings and news coverage place related hearings, charges and protests in early October 2025, with an indictment returned Oct. 10 and a release hearing Oct. 6 noted in the reporting [4] [5].
1. What the core reporting says — date and immediate facts
News organizations including Reuters, MSNBC and the New Republic state the shooting occurred on October 4, 2025, when CBP Agent Charles Exum shot Marimar Martinez five times after their vehicles collided in the Brighton Park area of Chicago [1] [2] [3]. Those accounts describe Martinez as a U.S. citizen who was treated at a hospital and later charged on related federal counts shortly after the incident [1] [2].
2. Where the accounts come from — officials, texts and court hearings
The October 4 date is repeatedly cited in court testimony and in records shown at a hearing; Reuters and other outlets reported that Exum’s text messages about firing “5 rounds” were presented at a hearing and tied to the Oct. 4 collision and shooting [1]. Media coverage also references a preliminary hearing and an October 6 appearance, as the case moved quickly into federal court following the shooting [6] [5].
3. Conflicting narratives reported by prosecutors and defense
Federal prosecutors say agents were “rammed by vehicles and boxed in” and that Exum fired in self-defense after a vehicle collision, which forms the government’s justification [2]. Martinez’s attorney and defense sources dispute that narrative: lawyers say bodycam footage and other material contradict the government’s account, and defense claims include that Martinez did not ram the agent and that her weapon was stowed in her purse at the time [7] [8]. Reuters specifically reported those contradictions and that Martinez was charged Oct. 5 in one filing, while other reports emphasize Oct. 4 as the shooting date [7] [1].
4. Evidence and procedure questions highlighted in reporting
Several outlets flag concerns about evidence handling: reporting notes photos and paint samples were taken from the CBP vehicle and that defense attorneys raised questions about the vehicle being moved and having scuff marks buffed after it left Chicago [1] [9]. Judges expressed skepticism about differential treatment of evidence — the agents’ vehicle being allowed to leave Chicago while defendants’ vehicles remained as exhibits — during court proceedings [6].
5. Broader context — protests and federal enforcement in Chicago
The shooting occurred amid heightened federal immigration enforcement and protests in and around Chicago; outlets contextualize the incident within Operation Midway Blitz and other enforcement actions that have provoked demonstrators and legal challenges [4] [10]. Coverage notes community protests near the 3900 block of South Kedzie Avenue on Oct. 4 and subsequent clashes between residents and federal agents [5] [10].
6. What the records explicitly do and do not settle
Available reporting uniformly gives Oct. 4, 2025 as the date of the shooting [1] [2] [3]. However, accounts differ on what triggered the shooting and on the sequence of vehicle contact and agent actions — with defense lawyers pointing to bodycam footage that they say conflicts with DHS statements and with prosecutors alleging aggressive behavior by Martinez and another driver [7] [11]. Available sources do not mention any definitive judicial finding resolving those factual disputes as of the cited stories [7] [4].
7. Why the date matters, and what to watch next
The October 4 date anchors timelines for emergency care, charging decisions and the handling of physical evidence; those timelines are central to legal debates about preservation and chain-of-custody raised in the hearings [1] [6]. Future developments to watch include trial scheduling noted for February (per some coverage), further scrutiny of bodycam footage and forensic evidence, and any official DOJ or internal DHS investigation results [2] [4].
Limitations: this summary uses the provided news reports only and cites each factual point to those stories; if you want court filings, bodycam footage, or later rulings beyond these reports, available sources do not mention those documents or outcomes here (not found in current reporting).