Wayne County sheriff: Inmate got hold of deputy’s gun inside ambulance on I-94

Inmate shot, killed

WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – There is new information in the deadly shooting of an inmate by a Wayne County sheriff's deputy on I-94 on Friday.

Investigators are revealing what they said happened in the moments leading up to the gunfire inside an ambulance.

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"Every officer's greatest fear is losing his gun. This was chaotic, unbelievable pandemonium, life-or-death struggle," said Wayne County Undersheriff Daniel Pfannes.

Pfannes said the inmate, who was in a wheelchair, was being transported by ambulance when he got hold of the deputy's gun.

"This was an extremely violent struggle and I'm thankful for the driver and the presence of the mind and the actions he took part. I think, without him, (the) outcome would've been different," said Pfannes.

Police said that, at one point, mace was discharged as the ambulance traveled along I-94 near I-75.

"It's quite possible that, other than attempting to escape, that the inmate had other plans in play, whether to harm others or himself," Pfannes said.

Police will not comment on how 23-year-old Martez Webb was restrained in the wheelchair or whether he was handcuffed.

ON Friday, after spending a week in the hospital recovering from a gunshot wound, Webb was going to be transferred to the jail infirmary.

Hospital staff placed him in the wheelchair and called a private ambulance.

The driver was able to pull the ambulance over. Webb was shot and killed.

“It’s a tragedy that Webb lost his life and my condolences go out to his family. But I will not sugarcoat the fact that he put that plan in motion,” Pfannes said.


About the Authors

Priya joined WDIV-Local 4 in 2013 as a reporter and fill-in anchor. Education: B.A. in Communications/Post Grad in Advanced Journalism

Kayla is a Web Producer for ClickOnDetroit. Before she joined the team in 2018 she worked at WILX in Lansing as a digital producer.

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