The Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office shed new light Wednesday on a deputy-involved shooting that left one person dead in New Lyme Township earlier this week.
Robbery suspect Michael Martin, 36, died Tuesday after authorities said he refused orders to show his hands, instead pulling out a 9mm gun.
Now authorities are saying it all started when Martin robbed a teenager at gunpoint.
The sheriff’s office received a call around 3 a.m. from a woman who said her 17-year-old sister had been robbed and threatened at gunpoint by Martin.
According to the sheriff’s office, Martin stole a cell phone, purse, wallet and $100 in cash from the teen.
Since Martin was wanted on several warrants, the sheriff’s office notified all Northeast Ohio law enforcement agencies to be on the lookout for him. He was believed to be driving a black Chevrolet Trailblazer and was considered armed and dangerous.
Around 7:30 a.m., a deputy on his way home from work checked the Dodgeville Road residence of Martin’s former girlfriend to see if he was there. The deputy also called for backup.
According to the sheriff’s office, deputies confronted Martin and a 25-year-old woman who was in the Trailblazer with him behind the residence home on Dodgeville Road. As they approached the vehicle, they ordered Martin to get out of the SUV and to show his hands. Ashtabula County Sheriff William Johnson said Martin didn't follow the commands and instead pulled out a 9mm firearm.
Deputies then shot at Martin. He took off in the SUV through multiple backyards in the area the backyards. He eventually hit a utility pole next to the roadway at the New Lyme Baptist Church.
Authorities have not said whether Martin died from a gunshot or from the crash.
All four deputies who fired shots were placed on paid administrative leave.
Officials said South Central Ambulance went to the scene and pronounced Martin dead at about 8:01 p.m. The woman who was in the SUV with Martin was not injured and was taken to the sheriff's office for questioning. No deputies were injured.
The Ohio Attorney General's Office was contacted to conduct an independent investigation into the shooting.
Martin, according to authorities, is known to law enforcement and has a long criminal history as well as several warrants for his arrest in connection to failure to comply with supervision linked to an original charge of illegal assembly or possession of chemical for the manufacture of drugs. He also has a bench warrant issued by Ashtabula County Juvenile Court for failure to report to jail in regards to a child support case.
