Lavonia Police Captain Shot in the Line of Duty Resigns

A Lavonia Police Captain who was shot during a routine traffice stop two years ago has decided to leave the force.

At a reception in his honor Friday, Captain Michael Schulman told well-wishers he has taken a position with St. Mary’s Healthcare at Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia.

“I’ll be up at the hospital. I’m doing security, I’m doing their disaster plan, I’m doing their safety meetings, they’re giving me several hats….So I’ll still be around,” said Shulman.

Shulman made the decision to leave the department in response to being shot two years ago.

In December 2016, Schulman and officer Jeffrey Martin were wounded the night of December 12 at the Zaxby’s in Lavonia while attempting to question the driver of vehicle that had been reported stolen out of South Carolina.

The driver, identified as Khari Anthony Dashaun Gordon of Greenville, South Carolina allegedly shot the officers and fled the scene, but was arrested a short time later after a massive manhunt.

Schulman and officer Martin were hospitalized, but later returned to active duty.

Captain Schulman returned to active duty the following February, but he said the shooting changed his perspective on what’s important.

“I’d like to thank the mayor, council, Charles and everybody for taking care of me when I got shot. It just changes your whole life when you get shot. My family comes first, and that’s why I’m making the move,” he said. “I thank you for supporting me and thank you for the prayers. Thanks for everything. Seventeen years. It seems like I just started yesterday.”

During the reception Friday, Lavonia Police Chief Bruce Carlisle had high praise for Shulman.

Chief Carlisle said over the past 17 years, Captain Schulman was not only an asset to the department, but also to the entire Lavonia community.

“A lot of you may not know because Michael never asked for accolades. Over the years there’s no way I could count the number of people Michael has helped in addition to his job. We would get a phone call, or the mayor would get a phone call about people that needed something,” Carlisle recalled. “The only thing Michael would ask was, ‘How much? How much you need?’ Then Michael would go to work. So, when you would see Michael out selling tickets and things like that, it was mostly to help somebody in this town that was in need.”

Stephens County Sheriff Randy Shirley was the Lavonia Police Chief when Schulman was hired 17 years ago.

Shirley says Schulman was one of the best police officers he’s ever known, but he understands the decision to leave the force.

“I know that that (shooting) still weighs on his mind and his family’s mind,” Shirley said. “It’s something that any officer that has ever been shot would forget. You have all kinds of people pulling off that Interstate and you never know who you’re going to encounter. So, I understand Michael putting in 17 wonderful years with the City of Lavonia and his decision, and I know the new position with St. Mary’s is a great opportunity for him.”

Schulman will begin his new job at St. Mary’s Sacred Heart Hospital on November 12.