A Staunton man is in custody after reportedly waving a gun and threatening bodily harm to several people in a hotel parking lot in Augusta County on Saturday afternoon.
Evan R. Blankenbaker, 25, faces several charges, including one count of attempted murder, and is being held without bond at Middle River Regional Jail.
“There were no injuries during this incident. The quick response from the Sheriff’s Office and The Virginia State Police ended this incident safely and quickly,” Augusta County Sheriff Donald L. Smith said.
The report was called in at 2:19 p.m. in the 3500 block of Lee Jackson Highway. There was a deputy across the street who was on location within seconds of the call being dispatched.
Upon the deputy’s arrival, the suspect had entered his room with the firearm. Additional deputies and state troopers arrived on scene, established a perimeter, evacuated several rooms, and blocked the roadway in the area.
Contact was made with the suspect, and he was taken into custody without incident.
The initial investigation revealed there was a verbal disagreement that led Blakenbaker to brandish a firearm and threaten to kill numerous people. A gun was found and collected as evidence from Blakenbaker’s room.
More charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
If anyone has any information about this incident, contact the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office at 540-245-5333 or Crime Stoppers at 800-322-2017.
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