PRINCETON, WV (WOAY) – Terrence Shade Thomas, the alleged gunman in a deadly Brushfork shooting, has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges.
A criminal complaint alleges Thomas fired the shots that fatally wounded Dawlton Blankenship. Thomas pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, attempted murder and felony conspiracy yesterday in magistrate court.
It stems from an incident last Friday, when police say Terrence Shade Thomas, Terrence Charles Thomas and Bradley Scott Billings sent threatening messages to Blankenship and three other alleged victims to get them to come to the school to fight.
The victims told police that when they arrived at the school, they saw Terrence Shade Thomas standing holding a gun.
When the victims tried to drive off, Thomas allegedly fired several shots, hitting Blankenship in the head and fatally wounding him.
Thomas claimed he fired shots when he thought the victims tried to run over his father, Terrence Charles Thomas. He also claimed the victims tried to get in their truck and run over his father. At that point, he says he fired the gun.
Terrence Charles Thomas will appear before a magistrate on Monday. Billings waived his hearing and was sent to Tazewell County, Virginia to answer for shoplifting charges.
Tygra de Mello contributed reporting to this story.
