David Shawn Blanton Jr., a 24-year-old male of Cherokee descent, tragically lost his life on June 17, 2008, in Canton, North Carolina. Trooper Blanton was a dedicated member of the North Carolina Highway Patrol, having served for two years. He was the first enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to become a North Carolina State Trooper.
On the night of his death, Trooper Blanton was conducting a traffic stop on Interstate 40 near Canton when a struggle ensued, and he was fatally shot. The suspect, Edwardo Wong II, a 37-year-old male from Ormond Beach, Florida, fled the scene with Trooper Blanton's service weapon but was apprehended shortly after by deputies from the Haywood County Sheriff's Office and officers from the Canton Police Department.
Edwardo Wong II was charged with first-degree murder and subsequently convicted on October 14, 2010. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Wong had a lengthy criminal history, including 19 convictions dating back to 1996, which included armed burglary, assault with a weapon, carrying a concealed weapon, and drug-related offenses. During the traffic stop, Wong shot Trooper Blanton twice, with one of the shots proving fatal as it entered an area not protected by his bulletproof vest and struck vital organs.
Trooper Blanton's death was a significant loss to his family and the community. He was survived by his wife, Michaela Layman Blanton, and their two-week-old son, Brendan Tye Blanton. Tragically, his son Tye passed away in October 2008 at the age of four months. Trooper Blanton's dedication to his duty and his community was honored by naming a bridge on Interstate 40 near Canton and a bridge in downtown Cherokee Reservation over the Oconaluftee River after him. His legacy continues to be remembered by his colleagues, friends, and family.
