NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) – The family of Markquette Martin says they are angry about how little information there is about the death of their son.
Martin died when he ran away from officers Wednesday. Police say he shot himself, which is described as a ‘probably unintentional’ shooting.
Read more: Police: Man dies of ‘probably’ accidental ‘self-inflicted shooting while running away from officers
“I feel like every other father who loses a child. It seems like it just ripped my heart out, ‘says Markquette Gray, Martin’s father.
Gray was only a matter of feet from where Martin died when he spoke to NewsChannel 5 on Thursday about the incident. He heard the report of the Metro Nashville police incident, but compared to what his neighbors have been telling him over the past few hours, he says he has no clear answers.
According to police, a neighbor ticked off two officers to report that a man in a blue ‘bubble jacket’ and a beanie had a gun and should not have had one. Officials say they found a person who fits the description, but when they asked to speak, he ran. The man was later identified as Martin.
Officials said Martin shot himself as he ran away from officers – something they believe was “probably not intentional.” MNPD spokesman Don Aaron said: “maybe he had his finger on the trigger guard and in the running moves the gun unloaded”
Gray said his son was not suicidal and therefore could not have aimed the gun at himself.
Metro police officials released surveillance video of the incident on the MDHA video system, but the video is interrupted throughout. Regarding the video, police said that “the MDHA video system is not being recorded continuously. The” freeze “in the video is from the system itself.”
Read more: Deadly shooting in South Nashville continues
Gray has seen videos shared on social media, and he and his family believe someone out there knows exactly what happened.
“I was born and raised here. Very loyal to many people around here; so I know without a doubt that they are going to get through, ‘Gray said.
Metro police say they found one cap at the scene, and early indications are that it came from a gun carried by Martin. According to police officers, preliminary autopsy information shows that Martin died from a single gunshot wound that came through the right side of the head and came out on the left side, but the manner of death (suicide or accident) is still being investigated. MNPD also manages the ballistics on the bullet and the casing found on the ground.
Martin’s mother, Lenieshia Woods, says it’s just an attempt to disguise what happened to her son, and she will not be able to stand for it.
‘I do not want to continue to see things slip under the rug as everything is done around here. “I want what happened to my son to be noticed and for everyone to know that it is not right,” Woods said.
Woods says she asks neighbors to come forward with their own video or photos of their family church at Saint Luke Primitive Baptist in Nashville.
Video or photos can be sent to the email below:
Saint Luke Primitive Baptist Church
Pastor Nicholas Patterson – [email protected]