Local Trooper Shot Dead (Updated with Information on the Suspect)

CANTON – An N.C. State Highway Patrol trooper was killed in a shooting during a traffic stop on Interstate 40 near Canton on Tuesday night, authorities said.

Trooper David Shawn Blanton was shot twice, said Lt. A.J. Dickey, with the Highway Patrol in Asheville. Blanton was taken to Mission Hospitals where he later died.

Blanton, of Cherokee, was a two-year veteran of the patrol. He was married and had one child.

First Sgt. S.D. Greene, public information officer for the State Highway Patrol in Raleigh, confirmed early this morning that the trooper had died.

Blanton reported that he had stopped a vehicle at 10:20 p.m. A passerby reported that he had been shot, Greene said.

Source: Asheville Citizen-Times

My condolences go out to Shawn Blanton's family, friends, and co-workers.

Law Enforcement Officers put their lives on the line every time they leave their homes for work.


**update** 10.01am

The Officer Down Memorial Page already has a page for the officer.

WLOS Online Video

I will continue to update this post as new information becomes available.

**update** 11.17am
On the WRAL blogs, photos of the murderer have been released, I think this one is the most recent...Edwardo Wong II,37, of Ormond Beach, Florida.

And from those blog entries is the heart-rending detail that Blanton had a two-week old child.

**update** 3.31pm

The suspect in the case, Edwardo Wong II, has a very extensive violent and drug offenses criminal history in the state of Florida, and was just released from prison in 2005:

Current Prison Sentence History:
Offense Date	Offense	Sentence Date	County	Case No.	Prison Sentence Length
08/23/1996	FELON W/GUN/CONC.WPN/AMMO.	12/09/1996	ORANGE	9610123	5Y 3M 0D
08/23/1996	MARIJUANA-SALE/MANUF/DEL	12/09/1996	ORANGE	9610123	5Y 3M 0D
09/25/1994	BURGLARY,ARMED W/EXP. OR WEAPO	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9415331	10Y 0M 0D
09/25/1994	AGG ASSLT-W/WPN NO INTENT TO K	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9415331	10Y 0M 0D
09/25/1994	AGG ASSLT-W/WPN NO INTENT TO K	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9415331	10Y 0M 0D
09/25/1994	AGG BATTERY INTENDED HARM	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9415331	10Y 0M 0D
04/19/1996	DRIV W/LIC S/R/C/D FELONY	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9607953	5Y 0M 0D
06/15/1996	FELON W/GUN/CONC.WPN/AMMO.	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9610381	10Y 0M 0D
06/15/1996	CARRYING CONCEALED FIREARM	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9610381	5Y 0M 0D
06/15/1996	POSS.MARIJUANA OVR 20 GRAMS	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9610381	5Y 0M 0D
06/15/1996	POSS.CONTROL.SUBS/OTHER	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9610381	5Y 0M 0D
06/29/1996	AGG.ASSLT/LEO/FIREFGT/EMS/ETC.	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9613017	10Y 0M 0D
06/27/1996	FAIL.TO APPEAR/FEL.BAIL	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9614146	5Y 0M 0D
08/22/1996	FAIL.TO APPEAR/FEL.BAIL	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9700638	5Y 0M 0D
06/27/1996	FAIL.TO APPEAR/FEL.BAIL	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9700639	5Y 0M 0D
03/03/1997	BATT.LEO/FIRFGT/EMS/ETC.	01/23/1998	HILLSBOROUGH	9703454	4Y 6M 0D
03/03/1997	ESCAPE	01/23/1998	HILLSBOROUGH	9703454	4Y 6M 0D
03/03/1997	DEPRIVE OFFR OF PROTECT.	01/23/1998	HILLSBOROUGH	9703454	4Y 6M 0D
03/03/1997	RESISTING OFFICER W/VIOLEN.	01/23/1998	HILLSBOROUGH	9703454	4Y 6M 0D

Current Community Supervision History:
Offense Date	Offense	Sentence Date	County	Case No.	Community Supervision Length
08/23/1996	FELON W/GUN/CONC.WPN/AMMO.	12/09/1996	ORANGE	9610123	1Y 0M 15D
08/23/1996	MARIJUANA-SALE/MANUF/DEL	12/09/1996	ORANGE	9610123	1Y 0M 15D
09/25/1994	BURGLARY,ARMED W/EXP. OR WEAPO	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9415331	1Y 0M 15D
09/25/1994	AGG ASSLT-W/WPN NO INTENT TO K	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9415331	1Y 0M 15D
09/25/1994	AGG ASSLT-W/WPN NO INTENT TO K	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9415331	1Y 0M 15D
09/25/1994	AGG BATTERY INTENDED HARM	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9415331	1Y 0M 15D
04/19/1996	DRIV W/LIC S/R/C/D FELONY	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9607953	1Y 0M 15D
06/15/1996	FELON W/GUN/CONC.WPN/AMMO.	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9610381	1Y 0M 15D
06/15/1996	CARRYING CONCEALED FIREARM	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9610381	1Y 0M 15D
06/15/1996	POSS.MARIJUANA OVR 20 GRAMS	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9610381	1Y 0M 15D
06/15/1996	POSS.CONTROL.SUBS/OTHER	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9610381	1Y 0M 15D
06/29/1996	AGG.ASSLT/LEO/FIREFGT/EMS/ETC.	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9613017	1Y 0M 15D
06/27/1996	FAIL.TO APPEAR/FEL.BAIL	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9614146	1Y 0M 15D
08/22/1996	FAIL.TO APPEAR/FEL.BAIL	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9700638	1Y 0M 15D
06/27/1996	FAIL.TO APPEAR/FEL.BAIL	05/19/1997	PINELLAS	9700639	1Y 0M 15D
03/03/1997	BATT.LEO/FIRFGT/EMS/ETC.	01/23/1998	HILLSBOROUGH	9703454	1Y 0M 15D
03/03/1997	ESCAPE	01/23/1998	HILLSBOROUGH	9703454	1Y 0M 15D
03/03/1997	DEPRIVE OFFR OF PROTECT.	01/23/1998	HILLSBOROUGH	9703454	1Y 0M 15D
03/03/1997	RESISTING OFFICER W/VIOLEN.	01/23/1998	HILLSBOROUGH	9703454	1Y 0M 15D