Posted on 08/05/2010 12:08:47 AM PDT by smokingfrog
A Texas sheriff called an Oklahoma grandmother a hero Wednesday for preventing a man from abducting one of her granddaughters.
Sharrel Blankenbaker, 63, from the small Oklahoma Panhandle town of Felt, was shot to death in the parking lot of a Love's store on Interstate 40 in Amarillo, Texas.
Her three grandchildren, ages 5, 12 and 16, witnessed the killing.
"It was a tragic event,” Potter County Sheriff Brian Thomas said.
"The grandmother at the Love's can be called nothing but a hero.”
A man identified as Gary Don Carner, 58, tried to abduct two women, killed Blankenbaker, abducted an 11-year-old girl and was shot to death by a sheriff's deputy in a 30-minute period Tuesday night, officials said.
He followed Blankenbaker and her grandchildren into the Love's store about 9 p.m. When they emerged, Carner tried to grab the 12-year-old. Blankenbaker stepped in front of her three grandchildren and struggled with Carner, authorities said.
The sheriff said Carner pulled a small handgun. Witnesses said he shot Blankenbaker in the back.
The 12-year-old called 911 while Carner fled in his white pickup.
Angel Quezada, who witnessed the shooting and the struggle that led up to it, held Blankenbaker's hand and prayed for her as she lost consciousness. He said the woman's last words were about her grandchildren and protecting them from harm.
Blankenbaker was pronounced dead at an area hospital.
Investigators continued Wednesday to search for answers for the crime spree.
"I don't know that we'll ever have the answers to that,” Thomas said. "We're as baffled as everybody else.”
Carner's crime spree came to a halt when he opened fire on Potter County deputy Steve White, who returned fire, killing Carner, Thomas said.
There's no indication Carner had a history of committing such crimes, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsok.com ...
They’ve got them from here.
There just seems to be so much evil everywhere these days. That abduction attempt was brazen beyond belief.
Prayers up for the family in difficult times. May God Bless all those who guard their flock.
The grandmother in this story could use some prayers. Mine are up.
The grandmother in this story and her family could use some prayers. Mine are up.
After reading the entire story, it seems that the guy was faced with a bunch of women...and even little girls...who weren’t about to put up with his brand of crazy.
How about the girl that dove from the moving truck after she spotted the deputies? Prayers for the family & friends of the valiant woman who paid the ultimate price while protecting her granddaughter.
Prayer sent.
Prayers being said.
She’s a hero! The women and girls involved in this were Americans- you can tell. We really do have a self defense spirit in our culture. You don’t find that in Europe!
Sara, I am curious why you say that about Europe. You don’t believe that you would find similar reactions if a grandmother was faced with a similar situation there? She would let a man like that abduct her grandchildren? Have you read about such a story?
We can tell the woman and girls involved in this were American because it happened in Texas.
“Texas man’s crime spree ends in Oklahoma woman’s death”
Bad headline. Should be:
“Texas man’s crime spree in Oklahoma ends in Texas man’s death”
Wrong. The abduction of a girl and killing of her grandmother happened in Oklahoma. The criminal was shot in Texas. What’s your problem with Texas enforcing the law?
Correction!!!!!
I misread. The grandmother was from Oklahoma but was in TX when this occurred.
That’s my bad, for sure, for not reading more carefully.
Breathtaking isn't it? It's almost as if the gates of hell have been opened.
All happened in Bushland TX loves truck stop just a few miles west of Amarillo TX. Victims were FROM Oklahoma an murderer was from TX ......
Sara...it becomes a feeding frenzy on FR once someone critizes a post. I hope you don’t let it get you down. A couple of the comments were just intelligent beyond belief.
I understood what you meant.
To bad one of many Texans that carry weren’t present to save that lady then an there.....
Glad the deputy killed the PoS that did such.
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