A decorated Marine Corps veteran from Texas is fighting for his life after being brutally shot by a repeat-offending illegal immigrant — and his family is criticizing the Democrat-led justice system for its ongoing failures that permitted the suspect to remain at large despite a lengthy criminal record.
Jimmy Friesenhahn, 44, who honorably served 14 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, including combat deployments in Iraq, now lies paralyzed and unable to communicate following the brutal assault in San Antonio. According to his brother-in-law Emmanuel Martinez, Friesenhahn was employed in a security role at El Patio Sports Bar when he attempted to disarm a man he noticed carrying a firearm.
That individual — identified by law enforcement as 29-year-old Wilmer Vladmir Ortega Ruiz — resisted. A struggle ensued over the weapon, during which Ortega Ruiz shot Friesenhahn three times, hitting him twice in his bulletproof vest and once in the neck. The gunshot wound to the neck inflicted catastrophic damage to Friesenhahn’s spine, vocal cords, and esophagus, leaving the Marine veteran paralyzed and battling for his life after undergoing multiple surgeries.
“He saved lives that night,” Martinez stated. “There are individuals who believe Ortega Ruiz intended to enter and commit a horrific act. Jimmy’s sacrifice averted that.”
However, as Friesenhahn’s family suffers through his critical condition, anger is mounting regarding how Ortega Ruiz was allowed to perpetrate this crime in the first place. The illegal immigrant has an extensive criminal history in Bexar County, yet was consistently released under the supervision of Democrat District Attorney Joe Gonzales.
Ortega Ruiz, who ICE officials confirmed entered the U.S. illegally as a “got-away,” has been arrested at least four times since 2020. His criminal history includes driving under the influence, probation violations, assault accusations, and numerous failures to appear in court. Yet, repeatedly, the system offered him nothing more than lenient plea agreements, minimal bail amounts, and light penalties.
In October 2020, Ortega Ruiz was initially arrested for DWI; however, the District Attorney’s office opted to reduce that charge to simply obstructing a passageway. He entered a guilty plea and was granted probation, but subsequently violated the terms and was rearrested in 2023. Once again, he was released on a bond of only $1,500, failed to appear in court, and was arrested for a third time that September. He secured his release once more for the same bond amount and again missed his court date. Ultimately, in November 2024, he was arrested for a fourth time and received a sentence of ‘time served’ — just weeks prior to the attempted murder of Friesenhahn.
This tragic case underscores the perilous outcomes of lenient crime policies and the failures associated with open-border practices that are affecting numerous Democrat-led areas throughout the nation. Critics argue that the justice system’s reluctance to adequately prosecute repeat offenders — particularly illegal immigrants — endangers American citizens while favoring political agendas over public safety.
Friesenhahn, a father to a 5-month-old baby girl, remains in the hospital as his family continues to hope and pray for his recovery. In the meantime, another illegal immigrant with a history of violence was permitted to remain free until it was almost too late — a recurring narrative under ineffective liberal policies that frequently prioritize criminals over victims.
