The Fort Worth Police Department has fired an officer who shot someone while off-duty last month. William Martin was placed on restricted duty after the shooting on Sept. 3.
Police say Martin was driving on 35W while off-duty when he was hit by another car. They say the other car did not stop, so Martin followed him to the Morningside exit.
Martin told police the other driver then tried to ram his truck, causing him to fear for his life. He said he fired three shots. The other driver was hit but survived.
Martin was arrested September 20 and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The arrest warrant affidavit says witnesses told investigators "Martin was not in danger of being struck by Christopher's vehicle."
After the arrest, Martin was moved to "detached duty." Friday, the department said his chain of command had "determined that the level of force used was unjustified." Fort Worth Police say Chief Neil Noakes agreed and fired Martin.
"The Fort Worth Police Department is filled with officers who do the job right every day. Our department will continue to hold employees accountable who do not meet the standards expected of a Fort Worth police officer, and in doing so, we will continue to be transparent and open with our community," the department wrote in a statement.
Martin had previously been suspended ten days for an encounter with someone who had called 911 in 2016. Jacqueline Craig had reported a neighbor was attacking her child.
When Martin arrived, he spoke to the neighbor and then Craig who said the neighbor grabbed her son because he would not pick up trash. After that exchange, body camera video shows Martin order Craig and her daughter to the ground and handcuffing them both.
Craig's family filed a civil rights lawsuit and received a $150,000 settlement from the City of Fort Worth in 2022. Craig died in 2023.
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