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Lavonia officer describes terrifying moment of being shot

By Rikki Klaus
By Rikki Klaus

LAVONIA, Ga. — A community rallied behind two police officers wounded in a shooting during a traffic stop in Franklin County Sunday.

About 200 people, including one of the officers, showed up for a candelight vigil Sunday evening.

Lavonia police Officer Jeffery Martin, 22, held a candle alongside the more than 200 community members who showed up to honor the sacrifice made in the line of duty

"I want to support my policemen," community member Margaret Ayers told Channel 2's Rikki Klauss, who was the only Atlanta reporter who attended the gathering.

That support was for Martin and Lavonia police Capt. Michael Schulman, 50.

Last Monday, Martin pulled over a stolen car at a Zaxby's parking lot on Jones Street in Lavonia. Investigators say the driver shot Martin in the hand and Schulman under the arm.

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Martin and his wife attended the vigil at Lavonia Elementary School Sunday night. He walked Klaus through the unthinkable moments.

"It was just an ordinary traffic stop. He wasn't disrespectful. He said he was scared. It just happened in a second," Martin said. "I'm just very thankful."

Martin had surgery last week and is undergoing therapy.

Lavonia police Chief Bruce Carlisle recently visited Schulman in the hospital.

"I went and saw him this afternoon. He's up. We were talking, and he got to eat for the first time in seven days. He's feeling better, and we're just praising the Lord for that," Carlisle told Klaus.

The Rev. Josh Harvill of Pleasant Hill Baptist Church organized the vigil illuminated by candles with the goal of bringing his community together.

"I look out into the world I live in, and I see lots of division, and so I love when I have those rare moments of seeing unity and people coming together," Harvill said.

Carlisle told Klaus that a debriefing of the incident is scheduled for Monday for his entire department.

Cox Media Group

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