BRAVE MAG

By David Thomas

Feb 21 (Reuters) - A federal immigration agent shot and killed a U.S. citizen in Texas in March 2025, months before the Trump administration began its deportation surge in Minnesota that ‌led to the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, according to records released this ‌week.

Ruben Ray Martinez, 23, was killed by agents with the Department of Homeland Security, attorneys for Martinez's family said in a statement.

A DHS ​agent fired multiple rounds at Martinez, who allegedly hit another DHS agent with his car as the agents assisted local police in South Padre Island, Texas, with traffic control following an accident on March 15, 2025, according to records obtained by American Oversight, a nonprofit watchdog group. The agents were conducting immigration enforcement, the records show.

Martinez's shooting appears to be ‌the first known instance of a U.S. ⁠citizen being killed during U.S. President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration. Federal agents conducting immigration enforcement shot at least five people in January alone, including Pretti and Good.

FAMILY LAWYERS CALL FOR ⁠INVESTIGATION

Martinez was trying to comply with instructions from local law enforcement when he was shot, Charles Stam and Alex Stamm, attorneys for Martinez's family, said in a statement. They called for a "full and fair investigation."

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"Ruben's family has been pursuing transparency ​and accountability ​for nearly a year now and will continue to do ​so for as long as it takes," ‌Stam and Stamm said.

The mounting death toll in Trump's intensifying immigration push has increased scrutiny on the crackdown, driving a backlash among lawmakers and the public.

The Trump administration is dramatically ramping up immigration enforcement with $170 billion budgeted for immigration agencies through September 2029, a historic sum.

Martinez, who was identified as a U.S. citizen in the redacted records, was taken to a hospital in nearby Brownsville, Texas, where he was later pronounced dead. The agent who was hit with ‌a car went to the hospital for a knee injury and ​was later released, according to the report.

"These records paint a deeply ​troubling picture of the violent methods used by ​ICE," Chioma Chukwu, the executive director of American Oversight, said in a statement. "In just ‌the first months of this administration, ICE's own ​data shows a dramatic spike ​of nearly 400 percent in use-of-force incidents — with people hospitalized, bystanders swept up in operations, and even the death of a U.S. citizen."

A DHS spokesperson said in a statement that Martinez "intentionally ran over" an ​agent with DHS' Homeland Security Investigations and another ‌agent "fired defensive shots."

The nearly year-old incident is under investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety ​Ranger Division, a DHS spokesperson said. A spokesperson with Texas DPS did not immediately respond to a ​request for comment.

(Reporting by David ThomasEditing by Rod Nickel)

ASSISI, Italy (AP) — The bones ofSt. Francis of Assisi, the medieval friar who inspiredPope Francisand generations of Christians before him, are going on public display for the first time, giving his hilltop Umbrian hometown yet another reason to welcome pilgrims.

Italy St. Francis

That's a mixed blessing for Assisi Mayor Valter Stoppini, residents and the Franciscan friars who are organizing the monthlong display of relics to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the saint's death this year.

Already, nearly 400,000 people have registered to pray before the relics and Stoppini estimates the number could well reach a half-million before the bones go back into their tomb March 22.

A small army of 400 volunteers have been recruited to herd them through the medieval city's cobblestone streets and into the lower Basilica of St. Francis to view the bones, which are held in a bulletproof glass box.

That will put enormous strain on the city's center, with its narrow souvenir-lined streets and limited services. But it will also test the patience of Assisi's residents, who are no stranger to mass influxes of pilgrims, but usually just for limited celebrations.

"We're used to this kind of event, but that lasts for one, two or three days," Stoppini said. "This is something prolonged, for a month, so I'm a bit worried, but calm."

A saint who inspired a pope and many more

As it is, Assisi is one of the world's most popular Christian pilgrimage destinations, located on a hill in the Umbrian countryside and built with a pink-tinged limestone that gives it its unique glow, especially at sunset.

Millions of pilgrims flock here each year thanks to the presence of St. Francis' tomb and the spectacular basilica, decorated with Giotto's frescoes illustrating the saint's life, that rises over it.

St. Francis was born into a wealthy family in 1182, but renounced his wealth to live as a mendicant friar after receiving what he said was a vocation to rebuild and reform the church.

He is best known for his message of peace, his love of creation and attention to the poor -- teachings that strongly inspired Pope Francis, the first pope to name himself after the saint.

While St. Francis' remains have been periodically inspected over the years by the Franciscan friars to ensure their conservation, this is the first time they are going on display publicly.

The decision to remove them from the crypt and welcome pilgrims for a month is a means to keep his message alive and give Christians a chance to pray before them, officials said.

Stoppini said a monthlong exhibition was the maximum he could ask of Assisi's residents given the strain on the city that already saw a massive influx of pilgrims in 2025.

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Assisi has a new saint, too

While Assisi is famous for St. Francis, a new saint is drawing a new generation of pilgrims:Carlo Acutis, who was canonized last year by Pope Leo XIV as the Catholic Church'sfirst millennial saint.

Acutis, who died at age 15 of leukemia, is buried in a different Assisi basilica, but his wild popularity especially among young Latin Americans has turned Assisi into a new religious destination for Catholic youth groups visiting Italy.

"When we go out onto the piazza, we find many people who ask us 'Where's Carlo? Where's Carlo?'" said Brother Marco Moroni, the custodian of the convent of St. Francis.

Last year alone saw a 30% increase in the number of pilgrims, though that was likely due to both Acutis' canonization and the Holy Year, which brought some 33 million pilgrims to Rome, many of whom also traveled on to Assisi.

"The beautiful thing is that saints don't go to war against one another, thanks be to God," he added.

"Many who come to the basilica go to see Carlo, and many who go to Carlo Acutis come to the basilica, creating an osmosis and a growing movement that does though create some problems for the city."

For the locals, religious tourism is necessary

For the souvenir merchants of Assisi, who make their living off religious tourists and pilgrims who flock to the picturesque town, a monthlong event is welcome.

"Other people will see what we see every day," with Francis' spirit imbuing the town, said shopkeeper Arianna Catarinelli, who works in a souvenir shop in the main drag of town leading to the basilica.

The shop features Assisi-emblazoned sweatshirts, pens featuring Acutis' photo, St. Francis-themed coffee mugs and neon rosaries.

"For residents, finding parking isn't easy. But for businesses, I think it's positive that there are so many people," she said.

To cope with the influx, city hall has created new parking lots outside the city center and runs a shuttle service to bring people into town.

Assisi resident Riccardo Bacconi, who works in a local bank branch, said he hoped the extra parking lots will be the legacy of the exposition that will continue to make life easier for locals.

Speaking after he went for a morning run Saturday, Bacconi acknowledged the town lives from tourism and anyone who chooses to live here has to put up with it.

"I don't judge it negatively, economically it's important," he said. "There are more advantages than disadvantages."

The eight friends found joy in the mountains, skiing together across the untracked powder of the hushed, pristine wilderness of California's Sierra Nevada – their close friendship standing out against a rugged, unforgiving terrain.

The trip had been planned well in advance: A three-day expedition that began at Frog Lake Backcountry Huts – a hard-to-reach but cozy oasis 7,600 feet high in the Tahoe National Forest area, accessible only by ski, snowboard or snowshoe.

The group – mothers, wives and passionate, skilled skiers – came from different parts of the country for a professionally guided backcountry tour over President's Day weekend. With four guides and three other people accompanying them, they glided on skis near the frozen lake and snow-capped cliffs, under the shadow of a ridge dotted with red firs and Jeffrey pines.

The biggest winter storm of the new year loomed over the picturesque mountains, meanwhile, as dire warnings from forecasters echoed on social media.

It was the last day of a perilous backcountry odyssey. And, as predicted, the blizzard arrived, delivering blankets of unstable powder. They were headed home when the fresh snow, light and soft, suddenly descended from the slopes as one of the most ferocious forces of nature.

"Avalanche!" one of them yelled.

Within seconds, a tsunami of ice, snow and debris the size of a football field careened downhill around them, thick enough to nearly bury a house, authorities said, citing the accounts of survivors.

"It overtook them rather quickly," Nevada County Sheriff's Capt. Rusty Greene later told reporters.

The first call for help was a silent text message from an emergency beacon, mobilizing a small army of rescuers dispatched from different directions.

"Medical for avalanche in the area of Castle Peak," a voice on a fire department dispatch channel said at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday.

"Nine to ten people buried, three others attempting to dig them out," someone said in the audio as emergency responders were heard coordinating search and rescue efforts, noting no air support was available because of the storm.

An hours-long fight for survival was beginning. Some members of the group dug desperately into the snow for friends and partners as the powder began to turn into a freezing, concrete-like crust.

Six of the close friends and three guides are among the nine people killed or presumed dead in theavalanche near California's Lake Tahoe- the nation's deadliest in 45 years. Six skiers survived and were rescued.

A grueling trek to reach survivors

Sisters Liz Clabaugh and Caroline Sekar were among the dead. The others were identified by their families as Carrie Atkin, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse and Kate Vitt. A spouse of a Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue team member – who responded to the disaster – was also among those killed.

The families of the six women who perished said in a statement that they still have "many unanswered questions." The sheriff's office said it is investigating whether criminal negligence contributed to the incident.

"We are devastated beyond words," the families said. "Our focus right now is supporting our children through this incredible tragedy and honoring the lives of these extraordinary women."

The families asked for privacy as they grieve a "sudden and profound loss." The friends – from Idaho, the Bay Area and the nearby Truckee-Tahoe region – were "passionate, skilled skiers who cherished time together in the mountains." They had trained for the backcountry, trusted their guides and carried and were familiar with avalanche safety equipment, according to the statement.

The bodies of the eight dead skiers remain on the icy mountainside because of the treacherous conditions, the sheriff's department said. One other person is unaccounted for and presumed dead, according to Moon.

"We are heartbroken and are doing our best to care for one another and our families in the way we know these women would have wanted," the families said.

Only two members of the friends' group survived, as well as a guide and two other skiers on the tour.

In the end, one man and five women made it out, taking cover for hours under a tarp – "doing everything they can" until rescuers onsnowcatsand skies could reach them, according to Greene.

Rescuers trudged through the heavy snow, combatting gale force winds under white-out conditions and mindful that another avalanche could potentially barrel down from above, Sheriff Moon said.

Rescuers were 2 miles from the skiers when their machinery got stuck, forcing them to ski the rest of the way until they reached the avalanche site around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, the sheriff said. The survivors used avalanche beacons and iPhone Emergency SOS via satellite to text emergency services.

An emergency official communicated with a guide for more than four hours, relaying critical information to sheriff's deputies, according to Don O'Keefe, chief of law enforcement at California's Office of Emergency Services.

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Buried in an avalanche, few people are able to dig themselves out, according to experts. Within minutes, breathing creates an ice mask around the face. The snow eventually hardens like a concrete entombment.

If pulled out within 15 minutes, theUtah Avalanche Centersays, 93% of avalanche victims live. After 45 minutes, only 20% to 30% survive. Few make it after two hours under the snow.

Survivors assemble tent-pole-like probes and stick them into the snow in hopes of striking buried skiers, according to experts.

That Tuesday morning, they frantically poked through the hardening snow for their ski partners and friends. Eventually they dug out three people who were no longer alive, the sheriff said.

"Uncovering people who are deceased, that they know and probably cared about, is just horrible," Nevada County Undersheriff Sam Browntold CBS News.

A 'magical place' beset by tragedy

Kurt Gensheimer was on a three-night trip at Frog Lake Backcountry Huts and left Sunday, just hours before the moms and the other skiers arrived. They never crossed paths.

He had been there four times in the last four years and understood the pull of the dangerous yet beautiful surroundings.

"It's a magical place," Gensheimer told CNN affiliate KCRA. "It's one of the best places to backcountry ski in the country and Frog Lake Huts are the nicest amenities, possibly in North America, for backcountry skiing."

He considered the huts a safe place to ride out a storm but his group decided to leave before the blizzard.

"The discussion in the huts was, this is a big storm coming… It's going to be falling blizzard conditions. You either should get out by Monday or plan to be there till Thursday, Friday," Gensheimer said.

The tour company that organized the ill-fated trip, Blackbird Mountain Guides, said the tour leaderswere highly trainedand certified in avalanche education.

It was also aware of the avalanche danger.

On Sunday morning, the same day the group embarked on their journey, the company warned on Facebook of a big snow storm approaching and urged skiers to monitor to the Sierra Avalanche Center and "use extra caution this week!"

That morning, the Sierra Avalanche Center issued anavalanche watchthat was elevated to awarning at 5 a.m. on Tuesday: "HIGH avalanche danger exists in the backcountry.

The most dangerous time for avalanches is after a rapid snowfall, according to experts. Tuesday's avalanche wasclassifiedas a D2.5 on a five-level scale that measures the destructive potential of moving debris, according to Moon.

The allure of backcountry skiing endures despite the risks.

Nate Greenberg, who lives in the Eastern Sierra Mountains and said he survived an avalanche in 2021, advised against rushing to judgment. Backcountry skiing, he said, involves multiple "micro decisions."

Ian McCammon, an engineer and avalanche researcher, also stressed the difficult decision making process on the slopes.

"There's usually a lot more than meets the eye to those accidents," McCammon told CNN. "Once you start getting into the specifics, you start understanding. It's easy to say that the people are foolish, or it's easy to say that people have taken a lot of risks, but sometimes they're in situations where it's not obvious to see how they came to the decision that they did."

Sara Boilen, a clinical psychologist and backcountry skier in Montana who specializes on human factors in avalanche terrain, said: "We're all desperate to understand what happened."

"As a researcher, I want to understand so that we can deepen our sense of what is hard about decision making in the backcountry," she told CNN. "As an educator, I want to understand so I can help others learn. As a backcountry user, I want to strengthen my own decision making by learning from others. And as a human I want answers - how could something like this happen? And we may never get all of the answers. That's the thing about a wicked learning environment."

She added, "Imagine losing somebody you love and simultaneously losing the relationship you have to the place you go to feel better. So, when you lose somebody in an avalanche and the mountains are the place that you feel most whole, most alive, it's where you go for healing, what do you do?"

CNN's Nouran Salahieh, Elizabeth Wolfe, Chris Boyette, Cindy Von Quednow, Alisha Ebrahimji, Chris Dolce, Mary Gilbert, Martin Goillandeau, Chimaine Pouteau, Stephanie Elam, Diego Mendoza, Karina Tsui, Danya Gainor, Briana Waxman, Andi Babineau and Brad Parks contributed to this report.

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