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Who was Martinus Mitchum? New Orleans cop without bulletproof vest shot dead by man who refused to wear a mask

Mitchum decided to intervene in the altercation with 35-year-old John Shallerhorn and tried to escort him out

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA: Tulane University police officer Martinus Mitchum was fatally shot on Friday night while he worked at the George Washington Carver High School playoff basketball game, New Orleans Police Department Chief Shaun Ferguson said on Monday. The 38-year-old was killed outside Carver High School, after a school staff member got into an argument with a man trying to enter Carver’s game at its home gymnasium against Warren Easton High School, according to the latest reports. 

John Shallerhorn, 35, was arguing with the school staffer who was enforcing a mask mandate and other Covid-19 precautions. According to initial reports from the scene, Mitchum intervened after Shallerhorn refused to wear a mask.

That's when he pulled out his gun and shot Mitchum in the chest, police say. According to reports, before getting involved in the altercation, Shallerhorn approached a 39-year-old man who was sitting in his car, flashed his gun at him, and robbed him of his medallion and chain.

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According to a report in WDSU, Mitchum decided to intervene in the altercation with Shallerhorn and tried to escort him out. "The officer heard the disturbance and attempted to intervene," New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Shaun Ferguson told reporters during a news briefing. "As a result of trying to intervene and escort the individual out of the school, the individual pulled a weapon and fired a shot that struck the officer in the chest."

At the time, working an off-duty detail that night, he was not wearing a bullet-proof vest, which officers are required to wear on the job, but there are no mandates about what happens during off-duty patrol jobs. He was then transported to an area hospital, where, according to reports, he was pronounced dead. Mitchum was also a reserve 2nd City Court constable. 

Officials held a press conference to discuss what happened before 35-year-old Shallerhorn allegedly shot Mitchum in the chest outside the Carver gym. Police said much is still not known about why Shallerhorn became violent.

"We do not know why Shallerhorn was attempting to enter that game. We have not received any information about whether he was connected to the teams," Ferguson said. "As far as motive and things of that nature, we just do not have that information."

Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office deputies, who were also at the school, arrested a person believed to be involved in the shooting, according to a report. However, the person was not immediately identified.

"When a police officer is killed doing what he was sworn to do, a shadow comes across our chests, our hearts. We know when we go to work, in many instances, we may not return home," Ferguson said. "I can only imagine what could have happened had he (Shallerhorn) made entry into that game. We could have had many, many more victims."

Who was Martinus Mitchum?

In 2014, Mitchum graduated from Slidell Police Department's Reserve Academy. He went on to work as an officer at Loyola University before moving to the police department at Tulane.

His peers and bosses only had good things to say about him. Tulane University Police Chief Kirk Bouyelas reportedly called him a "sponge" who was quick to learn and making his way up the Tulane PD. "He was one of the type of individuals where if I could have an entire police department made up of him, his clones, we’d have an awesome police department," Bouyelas said. "He was that type of individual."

Mitchum was a generous soul as 2nd City Court Constable Edwin Shorty recalls the work that he put in the community. "He was always involved with kids lives over there [local high schools, including Landry-Walker on the West Bank], reaching into his own pocket so that kids who didn't have, had, whether they fell short for prom or whether they fell short for buying rings for sporting events," Shorty said.

It was Mitchum's dream to be a police officer. The police department is mourning the loss of 'a great dude'. "The Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office mourns the loss of the the deputy constable killed tonight in the line of duty. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the 2nd City Court Constable at this difficult time," Sheriff Gusman of Orleans Parish tweeted. 

A former high school basketball star, who played at the University of New Orleans, LSU, and Memphis, Charles Carmouche, tweeted about their close relationship. "Shit CRAZY... We really lost a GREAT dude... Mitch really was a genuine kind hearted dude & always checked on me ALWAYS... I appreciate how u believed in me when NOBODY did  ... FOREVER in my  & I will never forget bout “lil ole u” @MartinusMitchum."

Prayers went out to Mitchum's family too. "Unbelievable! I can not believe this! Why? Damn! Will it ever stop! RIP my dude this has to stop! He would give his last! Loved kids with all his heart. This one hurts," one tweeted. 

Mitchum's family was reportedly notified of the shooting later Friday night. According to reports, they arrived in town for a ceremony to be held in New Orleans. "The only thing I can offer is our departments are here for them to help them however we can," Shorty said.