Border Patrol Chief Praised Officer Hours After Chicago Shooting
Newly released court documents have revealed that Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino praised an officer just hours after he shot a Chicago woman five times, with text messages showing colleagues celebrating the incident. The messages were released in connection with the now-dropped criminal case against Marimar Martinez, a 30-year-old teacher's assistant and U.S. citizen.
'Excellent Service' Email Sent Hours After Shooting
According to documents released by federal prosecutors, Greg Bovino sent an email to officer Charles Exum on October 4, just hours after the shooting of Marimar Martinez. "In light of your excellent service in Chicago, you have much yet left to do!!" Bovino wrote in the message obtained by The Independent.
Text messages between officers after the shooting show Border Patrol officer Charles Exum wrote that his superiors were supporting him "big time" following the incident. The messages indicate support came from Bovino, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and "El Jefe himself" - an apparent reference to President Donald Trump.
Colleagues Celebrate Shooting in Text Messages
The released text messages reveal a disturbing pattern of celebration among officers following the violent incident. One officer called Exum a "legend" and offered "beers on me," while another told him "put that one in your book buddy."
Previously released messages show Exum appearing to boast about the shooting to other officers, writing: "I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys."
Contradictory Evidence in Body Camera Footage
Body camera footage from the scene appears to contradict Homeland Security's official claims about the incident. The footage shows the officer turning his steering wheel toward Martinez's car after officers can be heard saying "it's time to get aggressive." This evidence undermines Homeland Security's assertion that Martinez and another man "rammed" the agents.
District Judge Georgia Alexakis allowed the release of evidence after federal prosecutors argued that publishing Exum's text messages could "sully" his reputation. The judge countered that the Trump administration showed "zero concern about the sullying of Ms. Martinez's reputation."
Martinez's Account of the Shooting
In testimony to members of Congress last week, Martinez described the terrifying moments when she was shot. She explained she was using her car horn to warn neighbors about the presence of federal immigration officers when Border Patrol agents side-swiped her vehicle.
"As I continued to drive past the Border Patrol agents, I could hear my back passenger window shatter, and I felt bullets continue to pierce my body," Martinez told lawmakers. "As I attempted to drive to a safe location, I began to feel lightheaded. I looked down and saw blood gushing out of my arms and legs and realized I had been shot multiple times."
Career Advancement Following Violent Incident
Hours after the shooting, Bovino offered to extend Exum's service with Customs and Border Protection beyond the standard retirement age of 57. In his email, Bovino instructed a colleague to work with Exum to "accomplish this most illustrative endeavor."
Border Patrol's former "commander at large" spearheaded the Trump administration's surge of federal immigration officers into Democratic-led states and cities. He was reportedly pulled out of Minnesota after agents under his command fatally shot two demonstrators.
Internal Resistance to Targeted Operations
Emails obtained by NBC News reveal that ahead of the Chicago operation, Bovino pushed back against internal efforts to focus Border Patrol operations on "targeted" arrests rather than large-scale sweeps. ICE's acting director Todd Lyons told Bovino to focus on arresting people already on federal law enforcement's radar for immigration violations.
Bovino responded that he "declined" the directive and stated he reports to Corey Lewandowski, a top aide to Secretary Noem. "Mr. Lyons seemed intent that CBP conduct targeted operations for at least two weeks before transitioning to full scale immigration enforcement," Bovino wrote in a September email. "I declined his suggestion. We ended the conversation shortly thereafter."
Ongoing Legal Battle and Public Scrutiny
Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago dropped charges against Martinez after her lawyers raised questions about evidence. However, her legal team continues to press the Trump administration for evidence after she was labeled a "domestic terrorist."
Lawyers for Martinez are now suing the administration in a case that attorney Chris Parente says will allow the public to see the "real evidence as opposed to the false claims of our government." Parente added: "We live in a strange time right now, where we cannot trust our government."
The Independent has requested comment from Homeland Security regarding the released messages and the ongoing investigation into the Chicago shooting incident.
