CULLMAN – The man who was shot last night by a Cullman City Police officer has been identified as 38-year-old Billy Joe Martin. Martin is still in a Huntsville hospital. His prognosis is good.
The shooting occurred at approximately 7:30 p.m. in the area of Austin Avenue and Interbitzen Street in Cullman Tuesday night after Martin allegedly pulled a revolver on police.
Two Cullman City Police officers, identified as Officer Don Slocumb and Lt. Gene Bates, stopped a suspect who was on foot Tuesday night who was believed to have been involved in a high-speed chase the night before, on Monday. The suspect told the officers he was not going with them and that "they would have to kill him," according to Cullman City Police Chief Kenny Culpepper.
Culpepper said that the suspect pulled a revolver from his pocket and after multiple commands to put the gun down were ignored, the suspect "was shot one time by one of the officers." That officer has been identified as Slocumb.
Martin was transported to a hospital in Huntsville via Air Evac.
Monday night’s high-speed chase happened after officers ran a vehicle's tag and it came back as a switched tag. When the chase ended with the suspect ditching his car, officers attempted to get the suspect to surrender, but he got away and ran into the woods. A helicopter was brought in to aid in the search, but the suspect escaped. Inside the suspect’s car, officers found a shotgun and two loaded rifles.
Last night, officers observed a man walking down the road. They believed the man was the suspect from Monday night.
Charges against Martin are pending.
State Police investigators and Cullman County investigators are heading up the case, assisted by the Cullman City Police.
