MISSOULA – Support continues to pour in for a Montana Highway Patrol Trooper who was shot several times in the line of duty last month.
The 301 Strong Benefit will take place at Neptune Aviation next to the Missoula International Airport on Saturday, May 4.
The event will include a live and silent auction, live music by Missoula singer/songwriter, Shane Clouse, and Montana Attorney General Tim Fox. All proceeds will support the Palmer family.
Palmer remains in stable condition at University Hospital in Salt Lake City.
“There’s a group of us that decided that we needed to get together to raise money for Trooper Palmer, because an event like this is going to be a life-long event that he’s going to have to deal with, and it gets really expensive,” said Missoula County Sheriff’s Office detective Mike Sunderland. “I cannot believe the community support. We’ve received some incredible auction items.”
Sunderland says more information on the event can be found on the 301 Strong Benefit page on Facebook.
‘Model of heroism”
Courage is one word many use to describe Palmer. He’s been with MHP for the past seven years and has put his life on the line many times. It’s his example that could inspire others to become law enforcement officers.
“Wade is, in our eyes, kind of the model of the heroism of a law enforcement officer in the sense that he, there in Missoula, risked his own life to save a woman there in an accident in the winter on I-90 and he was decorated for that,” said Montana Department of Justice spokesman John Barnes.
“And then at the same time we went out, bravely doing his duty and this happened to him and so you see the good and the bad. You see the potential for great acts of service and also the risks that comes along with it,” he continued.
“He shows us all of that through his actions over the last few years. It would not surprise me if other men or women see that and are inspirited to become law enforcement officers as well,” Barnes concluded.
Montana Highway Patrol district offices across the state will have bracelets available that say “Wade Strong” and “Keep Fighting.” in honor of Trooper Palmer beginning on Thursday.
You can get a bracelet from your local MHP office with a minimum donation of $5. The proceeds that go directly to the Palmer family. There is a limited supply and will be available until they sell out.
The Montana Highway Patrol has created a webpage with information about the shooting.
-information from Russ Thomas and Jill Valley included in this report.
You can click here to donate to a GoFundMe page in support of Trooper Palmer.
To help the family of Shelley Hays, who was killed in one of the shootings, click here.
To help Casey Blanchard, who was also wounded, click here.
