Authorities: Man Opens Fire on Deputy, then Surrenders

CANTON — A man is in custody after reportedly opening fire on a Van Zandt County sheriff’s deputy. According to a news release, on Sunday at approximately 2:50 p.m., the deputy arrived at a rural residence located at 350 Van Zandt County Road 2140, Canton. The law officer was responding to a citizen�s call for service � a criminal trespass complaint, which had been reported by the resident later identified as Stephen Garrett Martin.

Shortly after arriving at the residence and before he was able to exit the patrol car, the deputy heard a loud noise coming from what he believed to be the front of the residence. He simultaneously observed a dog which had been lying on the front porch of the home quickly startle, jump up, and run away very quickly. At that moment, the deputy heard a second loud noise coming from the residence and suddenly felt a violent vibration coming from the front bumper area of his patrol car. It was later determined that bullets had struck the patrol car.

The deputy then observed Martin standing in the front doorway area of the residence holding a handgun, according to officials. Authorities say the deputy suddenly realized that Martin was shooting at him, quickly put his patrol car in reverse gear, and in an attempt to flee from the shooting, accelerated rearward toward County Road 2140. In the process, his patrol car struck a metal gate, a fencepost, and a barbed wire fence near the entrance onto the property. The deputy continued to observe Martin, who had come out of the residence and was now standing on the front porch, still holding the handgun, according to officials. The deputy opened the door of his patrol car and at gunpoint verbally ordered Martin to put the weapon down and put his hands up. Officials say Martin complied with the orders given by the deputy.

A short time later, a Van police officer arrived at the location and the officers instructed Martin to walk toward the officers with hands up. Authorities say Martin complied with the officers’ commands and was subsequently taken into custody without further incident. Martin was orally informed by the officers that he was under arrest, and a subsequent frisk of Martin allegedly revealed a second fully loaded handgun secreted in the waistband of his pants.

After being placed into custody, Martin informed the officers that there was a body inside his residence and also stated that there were two men in camouflage hiding in the trees in his front yard, one on each side of the driveway. When additional officers arrived at the location a cursory sweep of the home and yard determined there was not a body inside the home and there were no individuals in trees in the front yard of the residence. During the safety frisk of the residence, deputies and police officers observed numerous weapons inside the residence and also observed the interior of the home to be in disarray appearing to have been shot up with firearms, according to the news release. Martin was transported to the Van Zandt County Jail to be confined for attempted capital murder of a peace officer.

The residence was secured by Deputies of the Van Zandt County Sheriff�s Office pending the issuance of an evidentiary search warrant. Following the issuance of the search warrant, deputies entered the home and seized a large cache of weapons and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Because officers believe one of the weapons seized at the residence has been altered to function as a fully automatic weapon, the Sheriff�s Office has requested the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for assistance with the criminal investigation. Following arraignment, Martin remains in custody pending a $1 million bond, with conditions.