Jury Selection Begins for Man Accused of Shooting Two Lavonia Police Officers

The trial for a South Carolina man accused of shooting two Lavonia Police Officers is underway in Franklin County.

24-year old Khari Anthony Deshaun Gordon of Greenville, SC is charged with shooting Lavonia Police Captain Michael Schulman and Officer Jeffrey Martin on December 12, 2016.

Jury selection starts this afternoon and is expected to take place today and Tuesday with a possible third day of selection on February 12th.

Actual testimony is not expected to begin until next week.

On the evening of December 12, 2016, officers Schulman and Martin stopped a vehicle in the parking of the Zaxby’s on Jones St. in Lavonia for a routine traffic violation.

A check of the car’s VIN number revealed it had been stolen out of Greenville, South Carolina.

As officers questioned Gordon in the parking lot, he allegedly pulled a gun out of his pocket and fired on the officers, striking both of them.  The incident was captured on Captain Schulman’s body camera.

After an intense manhunt that lasted several hours, Gordon was captured.

At the time of the shooting, Gordon was out on bond on attempted murder charges stemming from an incident in Greenville in March, 2016.

In January 2017, Gordon was indicted on charges of aggravated assault on a police officer (four counts), four counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, two counts of aggravated battery, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and theft by bringing stolen merchandise into the state.

Schulman suffered a gunshot wound under his left arm and spent months recovering from his injuries.

Martin was shot in the hand and underwent physical therapy.

Both officers returned to duty in February, 2017.

Gordon’s trial is expected to last two weeks.