'He wanted to help people,' slain officer's dad says

Editor's note: This story was originally published on Nov. 2, 2016. 

Urbandale Police Officer Justin Martin dreamed about wearing a badge since he was a middle school student in Rockwell City, said his father, Randy Martin.

It was a dream that followed him through high school and on to college. That dream became a reality Jan. 19, when Martin was sworn in as an Urbandale police officer.

"He was somebody that was all about helping people," Randy Martin said. "He went into law enforcement for one reason — because he wanted to help people. That was Justin."

Martin, 24, was ambushed by a gunman early Wednesday morning as he sat in his patrol car at the intersection of 70th Street and Aurora Avenue in Urbandale. Police Chief Ross McCarty said it appeared the shooter walked up to Martin's patrol car and fired 15 to 30 shots into the driver’s side. Martin died at the scene. He may not have known the man was there before he began firing, McCarty said.

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Twenty minutes later, Des Moines police Sgt. Anthony Beminio was shot and killed near Merle Hay Road and Sheridan Avenue while responding to the scene of  Martin's shooting — about 2 miles away, police said.

The suspected shooter was taken into custody Wednesday morning.

"Couldn’t believe it," Randy Martin said. "This whole thing hasn’t hit us yet. It will, but not yet."

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For Martin's parents, the news was delivered by a 3 a.m. knock at the door from the Rockwell City police chief, a friend of the family, and followed by phone calls from Urbandale officers.

"The community’s been coming and supporting us, and that’s all we can ask," Randy Martin said. But it has been tough for his mother, Jayne, and Martin's younger brother,  a freshman at Iowa Central Community College, his father said.

Justin Martin was adopted when he was 10 days old. The family moved to Rockwell City when Justin was 2 years old. His younger brother also was adopted, Randy Martin said.

In high school, Martin was a high achiever in the classroom, on the football field and in the swimming pool, his father said. He was an all-district tight end and defensive end, and a seven-time individual conference champion in swimming. He was an Eagle Scout and played trombone in the band.

"He was the one, if somebody at school was saying something, he would stop them," Randy Martin said. "That’s who he was. He was a big enough kid and nice enough that they listened to him."

Martin attended Simpson College in Indianola and graduated in 2015 with a degree in criminal justice. He was looking for jobs in the Des Moines area and thought he might have to move home when he received a call from the Urbandale Police Department, his father said.

"He loved it. He interned there in college and was ecstatic," Randy Martin said. "He always came in with a smile and looked forward to going to work."

Martin was hired in August 2015, and he graduated from the Iowa Law Enforcement Academy in December. After four months of field training, he began a probationary period that ended on Aug. 22 of this year.

“We had high expectations for his future, and it’s tragically been cut short," Chief McCarty said.

Martin's friends recalled him as a driven person but with a fun and silly side. He sent a Snapchat to friends Tuesday night showing a child's drawing that thanked Urbandale police for 100 years of service.

Simpson student Hannah D'Hondt, 21, responded by telling Martin to stay safe on patrol.

Friends said they were shocked when they heard about his death Wednesday.

"I was working out this morning, and I read the article and thought, 'The only Urbandale police officer I know is Justin, and I’m sure it’s not him,' " said Jessalyn Holdcraft, 23, of Cedar Rapids. She and Martin met while studying at Simpson.

"He’s out there trying to make the world safer," Holdcraft said. "It’s awful because he was highly trained, and he's tough".

The young officer celebrated Halloween last weekend with friends in Indianola.

"He was dressed in his lederhosen outfit because he liked to make people laugh, and he was killing it on the dance floor with his dad moves," said D'Hondt, who chatted with Martin before his shift began at 7 p.m. Tuesday. "He sent me a picture of all the groceries he bought and how amazing it was to have a full fridge."

Martin also had a serious side and a passion for police work, his friends said.

"He wanted nothing more in life than to be a police officer, and that’s what happened," said Alex Kerr, a 21-year-old Simpson student who took criminal justice classes with Martin.

Martin's father said he is proud of his son for pursuing his dream and achieving it.

"I was happy for him. I was proud of him," Martin said. "You know the dangers of the job, but I told him, 'You’ve got to do what you enjoy doing,' and that’s what he was doing."