Self-Inflicted Gunshot Would at MCSO

By Jessie Williams
A tragic incident resulted in the death of a Macon County man last week.

According to Macon County Sheriff Mark Gammons, David Wayne Blankenship pulled into the Sheriff’s Department parking lot on Wednesday, August 9, after detectives requested he come in for questioning on a case that was currently under investigation.
“At approximately 1:45 p.m. Deputy Kyle Petty located him in the parking lot where he had parked, gotten out of his vehicle and was acting strangely,” the sheriff stated. “Officer Petty approached Mr. Blankenship and asked him to come inside.”
Mr. Blankenship was drinking out of a Hardee’s cup with one hand, but the officer could not see his other hand and asked him to show him both hands.
“At that time, Mr. Blankenship said he had a pistol in his other hand, and Officer Petty drew his weapon and asked Mr. Blankenship to get on the ground,” said sheriff Gammons. “Mr. Blankenship then bent over and inflicted a gunshot wound to himself.”
Blankenship’s weapon was secured by officers, and Macon County EMS pronounced Blankenship D.O.A., or dead on arrival, after arriving at the scene.
His body was sent for an autopsy to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation crime lab.
“This is an unfortunate situation that we wish would’ve ended differently,” the sheriff remarked. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family.”