News for June 19th

Yesterday, I learned that we had lost another officer in the line of duty, and posted what info I had on the shooting and the shooter.

Here is where you can send money to help his family:

SECU

c/o Michaela Nicole Blanton FBO Brendan Tye Blanton

PO Box 97

Waynesville, NC 28786

Call the SECU at 1-828-452-3570 for more and ask for Allison.

Also, Contributions to the Michaela Nicole Blanton FBO Brendan Tye Blanton fund can be made at any North Carolina State Employees Credit Union branch. Money will go to the wife and baby of Trooper David Shawn Blanton Jr.

Locally, Contributions to the Trooper David Blanton Memorial Fund can be made at any of six Mountain Credit Union branches. Those are:

• Asheville: 219 Haywood St., 252-8234.

• Cherokee: 375 Sequoyah Trail, 497-6211.

• Fletcher: 5010 Hendersonville Road, 684-9999.

• Franklin: 746 East Main St., 524-4464.

• Sylva: 30 Highway 107, 586-0425.

• Waynesville: 721 North Main St., 452-2216.

Even a $10 or $20 donation will help the family.

Here is the roundup of other sources covering the murder of Shawn Blanton:

Sylva Herald, the hometown paper.

WYFF Channel 4 Greenville, SC. News Video Family Remembers Him

WLOS Video coverage, with more videos on that page.

Asheville Citizen-Times has details about Blanton's life, and family.

From the Asheville Citizen-Times:

Wong lingered at the shooting scene, calmly searching Blanton while the trooper lay bleeding to death, Clendinin said.

“The whole thing is just a sickening act,” he said.

The shooting set off a “barrage” of 911 calls, Haywood County Sheriff Tom Alexander said.

Callers gave authorities a good description of Wong, his truck and what had happened.

At the Chevron station just off the Exit 31 ramp, customers in small groups kept walking in and telling store clerk Brandon Luther what they had seen.

“They told me somebody took the cop’s gun and shot him and took off,” he said.

Wong also had maurijuana, pills and three weapons in him at the time of his arrest.

Eastern Band Message Board

Commentary

There are no words to make this any more bearable. You have the opportunity to help the family of North Carolina Highway Patrolman Shawn Blanton by donating a little money at one of the above locations.