Galveston officer cleared of charges in fatal traffic stop shooting

A grand jury has decided not to file criminal charges against Galveston, Texas, police officer Joshua Nino De Guzman following the May shooting death of 47-year-old Randy Martin during a traffic stop.

De Guzman stated that he fired eight rounds after Martin resisted being handcuffed and allegedly raised an object that the officer believed was a firearm. However, investigators noted that no firearm belonging to Martin was recovered at the scene. An autopsy determined the death was a homicide, revealing seven entrance wounds, five of which were in Martin’s upper right back.

Newly released body camera footage has raised questions regarding the officer’s account. While De Guzman claimed Martin violated stop signs after leaving a narcotics surveillance area, the footage shows the officer ordering Martin out of the vehicle without providing a reason for the stop. Martin’s girlfriend, Ashley Parks, was present in the vehicle during the incident.