FORT WORTH, Texas — An attorney for Samuel Christopher, the man who was shot by off-duty Fort Worth Police Officer William Martin, says his client is the “only victim” in a “near-fatal shooting” on I-35W.
Attorney Doug Hafer offered a brief public statement Tuesday morning, his first since the Sept. 3 incident. Hafer said he was speaking so that Christopher, who was shot multiple times, could recover in privacy.
Hafer also released a picture of the truck his client was driving. The image shows broken glass all over the driver’s seat.
The version of events Christopher recounted is similar to the description in an arrest warrant charging Officer William Martin with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
But it differs from the account Martin wrote in a sworn statement released by his attorney, Mike Schneider. According to Maritn's sworn statement, he was on his way home from a Fort Worth PD shift in his personal vehicle, a Honda Accord, when Christopher’s truck hit him.
He said he thought the collision was “intentional.”
Martin said the truck did not stop, so he followed for about three to three-and-a-half miles on I-35W as it “abruptly” changed lanes and used “excessive speed” for the conditions. It was around 4 p.m. and traffic was heavy, Martin wrote.
Martin went on to say he got in front of Christopher’s truck to try to box him in, but the truck rammed his vehicle.
Martin got out, pulled his weapon, pointed and fired because, “I believe then as I believe now that the driver would have run over me had I not taken defensive action,” he wrote.
A bullet narrowly missed Christopher’s spine, Hafer said.
Martin’s description varies greatly from what Christopher told police and the details Hafer recounted to the media Tuesday.
According to the warrant charging Martin, Christopher was unaware of a collision, saw the Honda behind him, and thought he was being followed so he changed lanes to try to get away.
Christopher claims Martin got in front of him and suddenly braked, which caused Christopher to rear-end Martin’s Honda.
“There was no way for Samuel Christopher to know that the person pointing a weapon at him was a Fort Worth Police Officer,” Hafer said.
The warrant says interviews with 14 witnesses matched Christopher’s version of events.
“All witnesses stated that Mr. Martin was not in danger of being struck by Mr. Christopher’s vehicle,” according to the warrant.
Martin was accused of excessive force in the December 2016 arrest of Jacqueline Craig. Craig called 911 for help, but a viral video shows Martin forcing her to the ground and arresting her.
The incident brought heavy criticism to the Fort Worth Police Department and Martin was suspended but later reinstated. The city settled a lawsuit with Craig’s family.
Martin’s attorney, Mike Schneider, says that past history is clouding the department’s judgment as it investigates what happened between Christopher and Martin.
“Officer Martin is innocent of the charges articulated in today’s arrest warrant. His actions were wholly in line with the duties of a peace officer under Texas law,” Schneider said after his client’s arrest.
Asked Tuesday for a response to Hafer’s news briefing, Schneider said, “The thing about attorney held news conferences is that they are usually more about serving the ego of the lawyer than they are about serving the interest of their client. Officer Martin stands by what he wrote in his sworn statement.”
Martin has been with the department for 19 years and remains on leave from the Fort Worth Police Department.