The Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) -- A 38-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder after he shot two Memphis police officers as they tried to search his home for drugs.
Family members say Anthony Martin, who was charged Friday with two counts of attempted murder, shot at what he thought were intruders breaking into his home.
But police say the officers sounded a siren, activated blue lights and identified themselves.
Officers in full riot gear came to Martin’s home with a search warrant Thursday evening after police say vice narcotics officers bought drugs at the home earlier that day. They knocked but no one answered, police said.
When officers tried to pry the door open, Martin fired five shots through the door with a 9mm handgun, hitting officers Myron Fair, 35, and Qadeer Smith, 33.
The officers were wearing protective vests. A bullet deflected off Fair’s vest and hit him in the abdomen. He was taken to the Regional Medical Center at Memphis, where he had surgery and was in good condition.
Smith, a two-year officer, was grazed on the left arm. He was released from The Med Thursday.
Walter Jackson, 30, said his brother-in-law, who family members called Anthony Jones, didn’t hear the officers identify themselves.
Jackson said his brother-in-law told him he was sitting on his couch with his wife and couldn’t see the officers in the darkness.
After the shooting, Martin opened the door and surrendered, police said.
In 2000, Martin was sentenced to 30 days in jail for cocaine possession.
Police also charged Martin on Friday with possession and intent to sell marijuana. Police said they found more than 1,600 grams of marijuana in the home.
Other members of Martin’s family were questioned and released, police said.