BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — One man is dead and three are in jail after a shooting in a Mercer County school yard.
State Police say Dawlton Blankenship, 24, of Bluefield suffered a gunshot wound to the head in the parking lot of Brushfork Elementary School on Friday June 26th. He was taken to WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital’s Bluefield Emergency Department. He was soon transferred on to Roanoke Memorial Hospital in Virginia where he died of his wound several hours later.
State Police spoke to three other individuals who were with Blankenship when he was shot, including his brother. According to the victims, they had made arrangements to meet three individuals in the parking lot of the Brushfork Elementary School to fight. According to the criminal complaint, when they arrived an individual identified as Shade Thomas was standing in the parking lot with a gun. They said they tried to speed way and multiple shots were fired at their pickup truck as they fled.
State Police noticed three bullet holes in their truck while it was parked at the Bluefield Emergency Room. Troopers were also able to locate addresses for the three individuals identified as suspects.
They later arrested the individuals identified as Terrance Shade Thomas, 24, of Bluefield. He was charged with second degree murder, conspiracy, and three counts of attempted murder. Terrance C. Thomas, 44, of Bluefield was charged with second degree murder and conspiracy. The third suspect, Bradley Billings, 35, of Bluefield was charged with conspiracy.
Court documents indicated Shade Thomas told troopers he, his father Terrance C. Thomas, and Bradley Billings went to the school with plans to fight the victim and his companions in the parking lot. Shade told police when they arrived they observed the group arming themselves with brass knuckles and hammers, so he went to his truck and got a gun. Shade claimed he didn’t fire the gun, but had it in his hand.
The criminal complaint further noted he told troopers the other group got back into their truck and attempted to run over his dad, prompting Shade to fire at their vehicle.
Terrance S. Thomas refused to speak after his arrest and asked to consult with his attorney rather than answer investigators’ questions.
All three suspect are in the Southern Regional Jail and the incident remains under investigation.