The mother of Longview's most recent shooting victim is planning a candlelight vigil tonight, followed by a community march to the place where her son was found in the street with gunshot wounds.
But in the midst of her mourning Tuesday, Sheila Blankenship also expressed frustration for the lack of communication from police about the status of her son's investigation.
"The only time I have talked to a detective ÐÔÊӽ紫ý” since the night of the shooting - was when I went to the press conference last Friday and asked to talk to the detective," she said. "They went and got him, and he told me he's 'just been busy.'"
Da'Coreyan Blankenship, 21, of Longview was about 7:30 p.m. March 3 in the 800 block of Aurel Avenue. His was the sixth Longview shooting death of 2015.
On Friday, Sheila Blankenship went to City Hall to listen to from Longview's leaders about the recent rash of violent crime, where Mayor Jay Dean urged residents to come forward to police with information.
Three of the six fatal shootings this year remain unsolved, with no arrests made as of Tuesday.
Longview Police Department spokeswoman Kristie Brian said Chief Don Dingler has an "open door policy" and Blankenship is welcome to "come to the department to speak to detectives anytime."
"Chief Dingler said he will talk to the supervisor of the detectives to get someone to talk to her," she said.
Blankenship said people familiar with the shooting have given information and names of possible suspects to police.
"The detective told me that's just hearsay, and he has to have probable cause to bring someone in," she said. "I don't understand why they can't at least bring the person in for questioning. Why not search their clothes for gun residue or evidence? Is that many people telling you the same thing not 'probable cause'? This person supposedly has an outstanding warrant for their arrest, too."
Blankenship said police keep asking for the community's help and ÐÔÊӽ紫ý” as far as she knows - people are giving police information. But, she said, the police have still not taken action.
"I'm scared and hurting," she said. "I can't even sleep through the night knowing that the person who gunned down my son in the street like a dog, and left him there, is still out running the streets."
Brian said unless a person voluntarily comes in for questioning, a warrant must be issued to bring a person in to answer questions. To get a warrant, she said, probable cause must be given.
Blankenship said the excuses are getting ridiculous.
"There were people on scene ÐÔÊӽ紫ý” witnesses who reported seeing a person leaving the scene with a gun in his hand ÐÔÊӽ紫ý” and they didn't even bring any of those witnesses in for questioning?" she said. "They had turned my son's pockets inside out after they shot him. Why not check for fingerprints or something. They're not doing anything."
Dean told people at Friday's meeting that community members must come forward with information.
"Community involvement is paramount to making any strategy work," he said. "No information is bad. A lot of the time, that little thing you heard may help the police."
The victim's cousin, Archila Richardson, said people are often afraid to talk to police, despite being told their information will remain anonymous.
"I know of people who have talked to Longview police about other cases, then the police told the suspect what the informant told them and who the informant was," she said. "There's no trust anymore."
Brian said police have ways of keeping those who bring forth information anonymous.
"But you also have to be able to corroborate the information you've given," she said.
In the meantime, Blankenship said she is praying God will give her the strength to forgive her son's killer and praying that the case will be solved.
"I miss my son," she said. "He was a kindhearted son who would do anything to help those around him."
Blankenship said her son would "literally give someone the shoes off of his feet" to help them out.
"He was a good father, who loved his son so much, and I miss him," she said. "I just can't express the pain I have right now."
Da'Coreyan Blankenship, a 2011 Longview High School graduate, played football and was on the powerlifting team in school.
Richardson said her cousin wasn't just a good athlete, but talented off the field as well.
"Da'Coreyan excelled at everything he did. He was smart. He was in Gifted and Talented," she said. "He was just a sweet, loving person ... a good father, a protector."
Blankenship said her son had just gotten engaged to get married to his child's mother during the Christmas holidays.
"It's a pain I can't describe," she said. "I don't understand. It's hitting us hard. I never thought I'd be burying my child. He was supposed to bury me. It's like he got stolen from me at a young age. They took a 2-year-old boy's daddy away from him."
Blankenship said she invites others in the community who are suffering from acts of violence and those wishing for peace to join the vigil and march this afternoon.
"We invite anybody who can empathize with the frustration of having a loved one stolen from them as a result of a crime like this," she said.
