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Blue ribbons flown in community in honor of Lawing

Heather Sanders

The News Herald

Published: December 17, 2007

Morganton, NC - A Burke County Sheriff's deputy shot in a standoff Dec. 11 is still in critical condition at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte.

Detective Martin Lawing, a member of the SWAT team, was shot in the neck while trying to make contact with a woman who had shut herself in her home.

Sheriff John McDevitt said the department has received hundreds of calls and e-mails from people asking what they can do to help the Lawing family.

He said the department has set up an account for donations. All of the money will go to the Lawing family.

"Right now they shouldn't be worrying about money," McDevitt said.

So far, Burke County deputies have been helping the family out of their own pockets, he said. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department also has been a huge help in providing anything the family needs, he said.

"Anything would be greatly appreciated," McDevitt said.

Burke County residents can show their support of Lawing and his family by flying a blue ribbon on their car.

Roger Suttles, a N.C. Department of Corrections officer at the Western Youth Institute, is encouraging people to fly the ribbons to show their support.

The idea started when Suttles and Margaret Stump, administrative assistant for the department, were talking about what they could do to show support in the community.

"It just doesn't affect the officer and his family," Suttles said. "It affects the whole department and the community."

They hit on the idea for ribbons, similar to those that support the troops in Iraq.

"We just want to get people aware of what the ribbons are for," Suttles said.

He said he passed out about 100 ribbons on Friday, and he'll keep at it.

People can tie the ribbons around their antenna, hang them over their rearview mirror or hang them outside their house. Businesses can hang the ribbons on their doors or in their windows.

"We want to show community support to the family and the sheriff's department and let them know the community is behind them," Suttles said.

Suttles said he hopes others will keep Lawing in their prayers.

"He's got a long road ahead of him," Suttles said.

McDevitt said Burke County deputies will participate in flying blue ribbons.