Investigators say a bank employee survived after being stabbed and shot at during work.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A routine safety deposit box visit at a Bank of America branch ended with a worker wounded, shots fired and a customer jailed on attempted murder and firearm charges, police said.
The allegations against 38-year-old Ladarryl Martin focus on what happened inside the Gunbarrel Road bank after an employee began helping him. Chattanooga police said the worker, a 28-year-old man, was attacked during that interaction and later treated for a stab wound that was first mistaken for a gunshot injury.
Safety deposit box visits are usually quiet transactions, handled with staff assistance and often away from a busy lobby. Police said this one turned violent shortly after 2 p.m. April 22 in the 2100 block of Gunbarrel Road. The employee was assisting Martin when Martin became upset, according to police. Investigators said Martin punched the worker, stabbed him and fired several rounds. The bullets did not hit the employee, police said. The worker was found in the lobby when officers arrived. Martin was found outside in the parking lot. The scene quickly moved from a customer service area to a police investigation involving a wounded employee, gunfire and a suspect still near the business.
The worker’s account, described in an affidavit cited by local reports, placed the beginning of the attack inside the safety deposit box process. The employee told officers he was helping Martin with the box when Martin became very angry for no apparent reason and shot at him. Police have not said whether the box had been opened, whether staff had checked identification or whether any disagreement had taken place before the violence. They also have not said whether Martin carried the gun into the bank openly or concealed it. Those details could become important as prosecutors and defense attorneys examine how quickly the confrontation escalated and whether the attack showed intent to kill.
The case is also marked by the confusion that followed the attack. Officers were sent to the bank for a person shot call. When they got there, the injured employee appeared to have a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Hamilton County EMS transported him to a hospital, where doctors determined he had been stabbed instead. The change did not reduce the felony allegations because police said gunfire still occurred. It did clarify how the employee was physically injured. No public report has said that another person was hurt. Police have not announced the number of workers or customers in the bank at the time, but the afternoon timing suggests the branch was open for business.
Martin’s own statement to police has become one of the most unusual details in the case. According to the affidavit described by local news outlets, Martin said he remembered going to the bank and requesting access to his safety deposit box. He remembered being in a room with workers, then said the next thing he remembered was jumping over a half door while holding his gun. He told officers the gun had been racked, so he knew he had shot it. He also said he was trying to stop people from entering the bank because he thought someone could be dead. Police have not publicly said what evidence they believe explains that statement.
After the arrest, Chattanooga police charged Martin with attempted second-degree murder and possession of a firearm during a dangerous felony. Those charges place the case beyond a workplace assault and into a more serious category of violent crime. Attempted second-degree murder generally centers on an alleged knowing attempt to kill another person. The firearm charge turns on the allegation that a gun was possessed during the commission of a dangerous felony. Prosecutors will have to prove the charges in court. Martin has not been convicted, and the allegations remain accusations unless a judge or jury finds otherwise.
The location adds to the stakes for investigators. A bank branch has controlled areas, transaction records, employee procedures and cameras that may help reconstruct the timeline. A safety deposit box room may have access logs or staff records showing when Martin was brought inside and which employee assisted him. Police have not released video or described what cameras captured. They have not said whether a knife and gun were recovered at the scene, though the charges and police summary refer to both a stabbing and fired rounds. Investigators also have not said whether they found shell casings or bullet damage inside the branch.
The response included Chattanooga police and Hamilton County EMS, with the police department’s Homicide Unit taking part in the investigation. That unit’s involvement reflects the severity of the allegation, not the death of a victim. Police said Martin was arrested and taken to the Hamilton County Jail. Reports after the arrest listed his bond at $575,000. His next court appearance was set for June 9. That hearing could address scheduling, counsel, bond status or early procedural issues, depending on the posture of the case when it reaches the courtroom.
The victim’s recovery remains only partly described in the public record. Police said the wound initially appeared non-life-threatening, and local reports said he was expected to survive. His name, job title and length of employment have not been released. Bank of America has not been quoted in the public reports reviewed for this story, and police did not include a corporate statement in their release. The absence of those details leaves the employee’s personal account limited to what was recorded in the affidavit and summarized by local news outlets.
For now, investigators are left with a narrow set of known events and a broader list of unknowns. Martin entered the bank for a safety deposit box visit, the employee assisted him, violence broke out, shots were fired, the employee was stabbed and Martin was arrested nearby. What remains unclear is why the encounter turned violent, what evidence was captured inside the branch and how Martin’s statement will be weighed in court.
The case remains pending in Hamilton County, with Martin’s next known court date set for June 9. Police said the information released so far is preliminary and subject to change as the investigation continues.
Author note: Last updated May 18, 2026.