GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) — A passenger described the frantic moments that took place during a traffic stop that turned deadly involving a Galveston officer.
Hours after the crime scene tape and officers went away, Ashley Parks is trying to make sense of the shooting that left her friend, Randy Martin, dead.
“It’s like a nightmare,” Parks explained. “Imagine someone getting killed in front of you for no reason, that just repeats in your head. The sound of something loud, you jump.”
Parks said on Monday she was riding with Martin on 55th Street near Avenue O in Galveston when an unmarked unit put its lights on behind them.
RELATED: Man shot and killed by officer during traffic stop in Galveston, police department says
“He comes up to the window, he asked him for his information,” Parks recalled. Moments later, Parks said there was nothing routine about the traffic stop.
“He’s tussling with him,” Parks recalled. “He’s trying to get a reaction out of him. I’m like, ‘Randy, stop, stop, stop. Why are you stopping him?’ He said he didn’t stop at a stop sign. That was his reasoning after the fact of pulling him out.”
Parks said moments later, she’ll never forget what she heard next. “Six times you shoot him,” Parks said. “Six times. Once was enough if you wanted him to get down and stop. Whatever you thought he was doing, that wasn’t enough.”
On Monday, Galveston police wouldn’t tell ABC13 why Martin was pulled over. They told Eyewitness News it was unknown if he had a weapon.
A day later, they still won’t tell ABC13 if Martin was armed. Police told us an officer called for backup.
Next, they said a struggle took place, and an officer opened fire. Olivia Gray said she didn’t witness the shooting, but she watched from her home after hearing it.
She was upset with the department’s statement saying officers immediately rendered aid.
“I would say it was a solid three or four minutes after this man was shot in the chest,” Gray recalled. “I don’t know if that’s what they consider immediate, but not in my book.”
DPS told ABC13 the Rangers are investigating. They told Eyewitness News to ask GPD for officer information. A spokesperson didn’t respond to ABC13’s questions on Tuesday.
Parks said she’s looking for answers to explain why the person she considered Superman ended up dead.
“This is a nightmare,” Parks said. “It’s something that will forever be planted in my head.”
Martin’s family members were with Parks on Tuesday. They told ABC13 they’re planning a protest at GPD to demand answers and accountability for his death.
This story comes from our news partner ABC13 Houston.
