HELENA — A Montana man who was shot eight times during a shooting spree that killed another man and critically injured a highway patrol trooper is returning home this weekend.
Casey Blanchard of Stevensville was treated at the University of Utah Hospital after being shot March 14 in Missoula. Blanchard’s mother, Julie, also was shot and his friend, Shelley Hays, was killed.
The Montana Department of Justice released a statement from Blanchard’s family Friday saying he suffered injuries to his chest, spine, abdomen and both legs and is a paraplegic. The family planned to drive back to Montana Saturday.
Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Wade Palmer, also from Stevensville, was shot in the head, face and neck early on March 15 while searching for the gunman in the Missoula shooting. Palmer was released from the same hospital on May 22.