On 07-24-22 at approximately 5:08 p.m., City of Carbondale police officers responded to the 800 block of North Marion Street in reference to a report of shots fired. During the course of the investigation, detectives identified the suspect as James A. Blanding, 36 of Murphysboro. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Blanding for charges of Aggravated Discharge of a Firearm and Unlawful Use/Possession of a Weapon by a Felon with a $750,000.00 bond with the assistance of the Jackson County State’s Attorney’s Office. Blanding, pictured below, is considered to be armed and dangerous. The investigation is active and ongoing.
James A. Blanding, 36, of Murphysboro
Vehicle that Blanding is known to have driven.
**** Prior Release on 07-25-2022 ****
On 07-24-22 at approximately 5:08 p.m., City of Carbondale police officers responded to the 800 block of North Marion Street in reference to a report of shots fired. Officers learned a grey or silver Jeep Wrangler pulled up in front of a residence where people were gathered and fired several shots. As the people at the residence fled the suspect exited and the Jeep ad fired several more shots before driving south away from the area. The suspect then drove east on either East Willow or East Larch Street. The suspect was described as a black male with a distinctive limp when walking. No injuries were reported as a result of the incident, but some property damage was discovered. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Anyone with information about this incident is encouraged to contact the City of Carbondale Police Department at (618) 549-2121. You may also call the Carbondale/SIU Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at (618) 549-COPS (2677) or the Murphysboro/Jackson County anonymous tip line at (618) 687-COPS (2677). Anonymous tips may also be made by selecting the “Crime Stoppers” tab located on the main page of this website. Please help yourself, along with your county, its communities and the university campus by using these numbers if you witness, or have any information pertaining to, a crime. Cash rewards for information which leads to an arrest are also made anonymously. Remember, crime doesn’t pay, but Crime Stoppers does!