Federal immigration authorities have confirmed that Fredy Antonio Amaya-Marin, a 39-year-old Salvadoran national and member of the MS-13 gang, who was recently arrested in connection with a shooting spree in Mississippi, is living in the U.S. illegally and has been previously deported.
Amaya-Marin was apprehended by the Philadelphia Police Department in Mississippi on August 24 and charged with attempted murder after allegedly firing at approximately 15 vehicles over several days.
Initially, he identified himself as Jonathan Salvador, but a biometric screening revealed his true identity as Amaya-Marin. It was also discovered that he had previously been deported from the U.S. in 2007, only to illegally re-enter the country at an unknown time and location.
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According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Amaya-Marin was first encountered by Border Patrol agents near Hebbronville, Texas, in July 2007, after unlawfully crossing the border. He was deported shortly after but managed to re-enter the U.S. at some point afterward.
Local authorities have identified Amaya-Marin as a member of the notorious MS-13 gang, known for its extreme violence. Despite the charges against him, including attempted murder and illegal re-entry after deportation, police have not yet determined a motive for the shootings. However, Amaya-Marin’s roommates reported that his behavior had become increasingly erratic in recent months.
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ICE has lodged a detainer request with the Winston-Choctaw County Jail, where Amaya-Marin is currently being held, requesting that local authorities hold him until a deportation officer can assume custody.
This case highlights the ongoing issue of “unknown gotaways”—migrants who enter the U.S. illegally and evade detection by federal authorities. Since the start of the Biden-Harris administration, approximately two million known gotaways have entered the country, with over seven million illegal crossings recorded, including numerous MS-13 gang members, according to Customs and Border Protection data.
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