On a day that began like any other, Baltimore Police Officer William J. Martin, a 38-year-old, ten-year veteran of the force, responded to a call that would tragically be his last. It was October 10, 1989, and the report was of narcotics activity in an apartment building located in the 1500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. A dedicated public servant and a father of two, Officer Martin arrived at the scene with two other officers, ready to address the complaint.
As his partners moved to
cover the rear of the building, Officer Martin made his way into the apartment building through the front door. He began to ascend a flight of stairs to the second-floor landing, where he was ambushed by a 20-year-old suspect. Without warning, the suspect opened fire, striking Officer Martin twice in the head and once in the left shoulder. The dedicated officer never had a chance to react to the sudden and violent attack. He succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
In the chaotic moments that followed, the suspect attempted to flee through a rear door, where he was confronted by Officer Herman L. Brooks, Jr., one of Officer Martin's partners. An exchange of gunfire ensued, during which Officer Brooks was struck twice. His department-issued soft-body armor is credited with saving his life. The suspect was wounded in the abdomen during the exchange and was subsequently taken into custody by a rookie officer, Robin Johnson, as he tried to escape onto a parking lot. The man responsible for Officer Martin's death was later sentenced to life in prison.
