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David Shawn Blanton Jr.
Agency patch
Trooper

David Shawn Blanton Jr.

North Carolina Highway Patrol — Raleigh, NC
Felonious
United States flag North Carolina flag
End of Watch June 17, 2008
Age 24
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 349 · Column 3 · Line 16 ›
Gender Male
Incident Media Service The Sacrifice Department 68

Incident

Trooper David Blanton was shot and killed while making a traffic stop on I-40 near Canton, North Carolina. A struggle ensued during the stop, and he was fatally shot.

The subject took Trooper Blanton's service weapon and fled the scene. He was apprehended a short time later by deputies from the Haywood County Sheriff's Office and officers from the Canton Police Department. He was subsequently charged with capital murder. The suspect, 38, was convicted of first-degree murder on October 14, 2010, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Trooper Blanton had served with the North Carolina Highway Patrol for two years and had previously served as a dispatcher for the Cherokee Tribal Police Department. Trooper Blanton was the first enrolled member of the eastern band of the Cherokee Tribe to be a North Carolina Trooper, and he served with Troop "G", District 5 in Waynesville.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, a 2-week-old son, and his mother.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Trooper Blanton gave the North Carolina Highway Patrol 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of North Carolina. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Blanton.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Department North Carolina Highway Patrol
Type Highway Patrol
Location Raleigh, NC
Platform Identity nchp.nc.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 17, 2008
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 24
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Cause Detail Gunfire
Weapon Gun; Unknown type

The Sacrifice · Felonious

David is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  3. See the roll
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Compare against
I

Time

In 2008, 65 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 113th heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

David was 24. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38. David had served 2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 8.1% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 13.4%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

North Carolina Highway Patrol has 69 officers remembered here, David among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Trooper David Shawn Blanton Jr.

North Carolina Highway Patrol · End of Watch June 17, 2008

Where the Name Is Cut

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