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Family members of a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who was allegedly shot by an illegal migrant in early May said they’re upset with the Bexar County district attorney for being “soft” on crime after the suspect was reportedly arrested and released multiple times without being placed on an immigration hold.
“It almost seems like these people that are illegal in this country are getting released easier than a normal citizen [who] would get a DUI or something else. It doesn’t make any sense to us,” said Emmanuel Martinez, the brother-in-law of Jimmy Friesenhahn, 44, who remains hospitalized.
Martinez and Becky Borjon, Friesenhahn’s sister, told “America Reports” on Wednesday that their loved one is still fighting for his life after being shot three times.
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Marine Corps veteran Jimmy Friesenhahn was allegedly shot by an illegal migrant in May. (Credit: GoFundMe)
Wilmer Vladimir Ruiz Ortega, 29, was arrested by police after allegedly shooting Friesenhahn at the El Patio Sports Bar in San Antonio. The father of a 5-month-old was working as a security guard and saw a gun in Ortega’s pocket, according to police.
A struggle ensued and Friesenhahn was allegedly shot twice in his bulletproof vest and once in the neck. The shooting left him paralyzed and unable to speak.
“I think it’s a great tragedy and a failure of our justice system. People who represent and allowed for our open borders — our last administration allowed those open borders. Really soft on those crimes, criminals, and I think it’s just unfair and unjust to the citizens of America who are here legally,” Borjon said.
“The immigrants who come legally — there is no intent to cause harm or crimes. These illegal immigrants that repeatedly get released over and over — I don’t understand that at all.”
Deputy ICE Director Madison Sheahan, flanked by ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons, speaks during a news conference at ICE headquarters on May 21, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (AP Photos/Jose Luis Magana) (Jose Luis Magana/The Associated Press)
Ortega was charged with aggravated assault against a security officer and illegal entry from a foreign nation. ICE placed a detainer on him on May 4, according to the New York Post.
KABB Fox 29 San Antonio reported that Ortega had been booked into the Bexar County Jail at least three times since 2020 but was never put on an immigration hold.
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzales’ office brought the aggravated assault charge against Ortega, which didn’t sit well with Friesenhahn’s sister.
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“When you unload a full clip, the intent is not assault. The intent is murder,” she told Fox News co-anchor John Roberts. “He was there to cause harm and murder someone — maybe not my brother, but someone. So the intent has been there, and it’s more than an aggravated assault.”
The arrest record of Wilmer Vladimir Ruiz Ortega, a 29-year-old illegal immigrant who allegedly shot a Marine veteran. (Fox News / America Reports)
The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office told Fox 29 that its office has been in contact with the victim’s family.
“Since May 4, 2025, Mr. Ruiz Ortega has been in custody under an immigration hold. Our office has been in direct communication with the victim’s family, and we are committed to keeping them informed as the case progresses,” read the statement.
Friesenhahn’s family is focused on his recovery and is looking into specialized spinal cord injury centers.
“At this point, this gunman set a life term on my brother. This is something he’s gonna have to deal with for life — extensive medical care,” Borjon said. “I just want to see what we can do with new technology that’s available and get him that care to see if we can have a more functional, more of a normalized state of life more than what he’s got now.”
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U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.
