EXCLUSIVE TO FOX — Disturbing footage has surfaced showing a Texas father shooting and killing a Mexican illegal immigrant during an attempted carjacking involving his family of eight, including an infant, as confirmed by police to Fox News.
According to the Garland Police Department, officers were dispatched around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday to address a collision where a vehicle had struck two other cars.
Authorities identified the driver responsible for the crash as 30-year-old Jose Ramirez, who had parked at a nearby gas station and was unsuccessfully trying to forcibly take control of multiple vehicles in the vicinity.
During the altercation, Ramirez attempted to enter the vehicle while engaging in a physical struggle with the father. (KDFW)
Ramirez then dashed across the street to a convenience store parking lot, where he made another aggressive attempt to seize the father’s vehicle, police reported.
Footage from surveillance cameras, obtained by FOX 4 Dallas, captured the moment Ramirez pulled the father out from the driver’s seat and attempted to commandeer the car.
A small child was seen running from the back seat as the family scrambled to escape.
Video showed the man attempting to pull the father out of his car. (KDFW)
Ramirez was then seen closing the doors and sitting inside the driver’s side as the father opened fire from the passenger side, police said.
Ramirez was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, authorities said. No other injuries were reported.
Officials said the father stayed at the vehicle and was cooperative with investigators, and no charges were filed against him
Fox News has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to request Ramirez’s immigration history and comment.
Video showed the suspect aggressively approaching the father’s car with several family members inside. (KDFW)
While Ramirez was unarmed, authorities said he was “using force,” and the father had no way of knowing whether he had a weapon.
Garland Police Lt. Pedro Barineau said the shooting “seemed to be self-defense,” noting “it kind of all happened like really fast.”
Tatiana Starks, manager of the nearby Garland Smoke and Vape shop, told FOX 4 she saw Ramirez breaking into cars at the gas station and recorded the incident.
She stopped recording as Ramirez walked toward the family’s car, noting she made eye contact with him.
“You could definitely tell that he was not in his right state of mind,” Starks said. “I’m just glad that the man was able to protect himself and his family. … It’s just a blessing that the kids and the family walked away with no injuries.”
