HYDE COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - An Eastern Carolina man is dead after his wife says he tried to kill her.
Denise Blount called 911 as she said the man chased her with a gun through her home in Swan Quarter. Blount says her husband’s behavior follows a pattern. On March 4th he was arrested for assaulting her. Per his release he was ordered to eliminate contact and stay off of her property. The woman says her husband camped out across the street from her home for at least 30 days, stalking her. Domestic violence advocates in Hyde County say that controlling behavior is a sign of abuse. “I know it’s hard for some people. They’re scared, they don’t have anywhere to go, they can’t support themselves,” said Debbie Douglas, a Hyde County Hotline domestic violence advocate. One in every four women experience severe intimate partner violence across the country. The Hyde County Hotline tries to plant seeds of hope in victims. “People would probably be surprised at what goes on behind closed doors,” said Douglas. Denise and Nat Blount were married for 48 years., but Denise says she thought Nat was going to kill her on Tuesday. Hyde County Sheriff’s deputies say in a standoff with the man, he aimed his gun toward them. Ten year sheriff’s deputy veteran William Waters then fatally shot the man. “We do what we can, but transportation, jobs, housing, is a problem down here,” said Douglas. With Hyde County’s rural landscape and sometimes limited resources, domestic violence advocates stress the importance of identifying signs of abuse. “If they’re bossy, if they’re trying to control everything, isolate them from their friends and family, those are signs of domestic violence,” advised Douglas. “Domestic violence isn’t always hitting. There’s also emotional abuse.” Using these signs, the hope is to save survivors from further harm. Nat Blount’s shooting death is being investigated by the State Bureau of Investigation, per the Hyde County sheriff’s request. The SBI’s findings will be sent to District Attorney Seth Edwards’ office for final review. Until then, Deputy Waters will remain on paid administrative leave. If you or someone you know is struggling with domestic violence, you can call the national domestic violence hotline at 1-800-799-7233. You can also visit the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s website at nccadv.org.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
breaking!Every story you see here is written, filmed, edited, fronted, and day-turned by Maddie. As an MMJ with WITN, she really does it all! Categories
All
|