A Marine veteran from Texas is in a critical battle for his life after being shot by repeat offenders while working as a security guard. His family is outraged, claiming that the Democratic District Attorney in San Antonio is downplaying the charges against the attackers despite their extensive criminal history.
Jimmy Friesenhaan, 44, who served 14 years in the Marine Corps and completed several deployments, including in Iraq, is now paralyzed and unable to speak. He worked at El Patio Sports Bar, where he reportedly confronted a man with a handgun. His stepbrother, Emmanuel Martinez, shared that Friesenhaan tried to confiscate the weapon.
The situation escalated as a customer, identified by police as 29-year-old Wilmer Vladmir Ortega Lewis, refused to relinquish the gun, leading to a struggle. Friesenhaan was shot twice—once in the neck and three times in his bulletproof vest.
He is currently facing severe health challenges, having sustained a complete spinal injury along with ruptured esophagus and vocal cords, and has undergone six surgeries with a deteriorating prognosis.
Martinez remarked that Friesenhaan’s courage may have prevented further violence, saying there were indications the shooter might have intended to harm others inside the bar. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had detained Ortega Lewis earlier this month, but he has a troubling history of prior arrests.
Ortega Lewis was first arrested in 2020 for DWI and received a personal bond but failed to appear in court. The charges were later downgraded, and he continued to face arrests for probation violations, each time posting bond and evading further court appearances.
In September 2023, he was arrested again but managed to avoid court, and by November, he faced multiple arrests, prompting a judge to finally impose a three-week sentence. Notably, he had also been involved in an assault investigation involving his girlfriend but fled before law enforcement arrived.
Despite his history, the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office recently set his bond for the latest crime at $200,000, pursuing just an aggravated assault charge. This decision sparked outrage among Friesenhaan’s family, who feel the DA’s actions are a serious injustice.
“It was attempted murder, and they didn’t think it was serious enough,” lamented Friesenhaan’s sister, Evangelina Borjong. Martinez expressed disbelief at how the judicial system has allowed Ortega Lewis to be released time and again, indicating a lack of concern from law enforcement and the DA’s office.
The District Attorney’s office has not provided any comment regarding the situation.
