FOR ANY UPDATES. THE MAN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING KERNERSVILLE POLICE OFFICER SEAN WHO KILLED TWO YEARS AGO, APPEARED IN COURT TODAY. THE ACCUSED QUINTON BLOCKER ALONG WITH SEAN HALL AND DOZENS OF KERNERSVILLE POLICE OFFICERS WERE IN THE COURTROOM. WXII 12 MARIA DEBONE WAS THERE AND SHE JOINS US LIVE WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE PLEA HEARING. AND WHAT WAS SAID IN THE COURTROOM, MARIA. WELL, IN TODAY’S PLEA HEARING, OFFICER SEAN HALL TURNED TO THE MAN WHO SHOT HIM IN THE FACE AND HAND, ALMOST ENDING HIS LIFE AND SAID, I’VE FORGIVEN YOU. I DON’T HATE YOU AND I NEVER WILL. BACK ON FEBRUARY 21ST. OF 2021, I RECEIVED ONE OF THE WORST CALLS THAT I CAN RECEIVE IN MY JOB A CALL THAT AN OFFICER HAD BEEN SHOT. OFFICER SEAN HALL WAS ON DUTY WHEN HE APPROACHED QUINTIN BLOCKER, WHO EARLIER IN THE DAY RAN AWAY FROM A TRAFFIC STOP. THE TWO STRUGGLED AND BLOCKER TOOK HALL’S GUN AND SHOT HIM. HALL WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR WEEKS, FOLLOWED BY YEARS OF SURGERIES AND PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PAIN. HE SAID HE’LL HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT, I DON’T THINK ABOUT WHAT WAS ME. I GOT SHOT. I THINK ABOUT ALL RIGHT, I GOT SHOT. BUT THEN LOOK AT WHAT ALL HAPPENED AFTER THAT. LOOK AT WHAT GOD DID FOR ME. THAT NIGHT. AND SO FORGIVENESS IS KEY. AND THAT’S WHAT HALL SAID TO BLOCKER IN COURT TODAY, THAT HE FORGIVES HIM. AND ALTHOUGH HALL ASKED THE JUDGE TO CHARGE BLOCKER WITH THE MAXIMUM SENTENCE, HE SAID HE HOPES HE TURNS HIS LIFE AROUND AND DOESN’T LET THIS INCIDENT DEFINE HIM. AND HE DID TELL ME HE’S SORRY. BACK BEHIND THE COURTROOM WHEN WE WERE LEAVING. BLOCKER PLED GUILTY TO FIVE CHARGES, INCLUDING ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE MURDER. HE’LL REMAIN IN JAIL FOR A MINIMUM 34 YEARS. 43 YEARS MAXIMUM. SO A HUGE WEIGHT OFF MY SHOULDERS. I CAN FINALLY MOVE ON. AND HALL SAID SINCE HE CAN’T PUT THE UNIFORM ON AGAIN, HE PRAYS FOR HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN BLUE WHO DO EVERY DAY AND GOING FORWARD, HALL SAID HE’S GOING TO CONTINUE HIS SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS AT SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES AND HIS WORK WITH THE BILLY GRAHAM RAPID RESPONS TEAM IN FORSYTH COUNTY, MAR
‘I’ve forgiven you. I don’t hate you and I never will,’ former officer says to man in court who shot him
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Updated: 4:35 PM EST Feb 13, 2023
It was an emotional moment in court Monday as a former police officer looked at the man who shot him and forgave him."I’ve forgiven you. I don’t hate you and I never will," retired Kernersville Police Officer Sean Houle said to Quinton Blocker. Houle's life changed in an instant on the night of Feb. 21, 2021, when he was shot. Houle approached Blocker, who was sitting in a vehicle. Early in the day, Houle initiated a traffic stop that Blocker ran away from. A struggle ensued and during it, Blocker grabbed his gun and shot him. Blocker ran away from the scene with the gun while Houle said on his radio, "I'm dying." It was a multi-agency effort to detain Blocker, and when authorities did, Blocker said, "I'm sorry, I have his gun." Top Stories Winston-Salem man charged with stabbing, killing his wife Winston-Salem police investigate shooting at Super Bowl party 'I was pretty concerned': Greensboro police investigate assault on Golden Gate Drive; one person suffers non-life-threatening injuries Four seriously injured, including one airlifted after crash on I-85, EMS say"I had a stroke and a number of physical and mental injuries I have to live with," Houle said. The former officer was shot in his face, hand and arm.“When I think about what happened that night, I don't think about, ‘woe is me, I got shot.’ I think about 'alright, I got shot,' but then look at what all happened after that. Look at what God did for me that night, and so forgiveness is key," Houle said. In court Monday, Houle said to the judge, "I don't hate Mr. Blocker but I do ask you sentence him to the maximum." Houle then turned to Blocker and said, "I’ve forgiven you. I don’t hate you and I never will."Houle said Blocker did tell him sorry behind the courtroom when they were leaving. Houle also told Blocker that he can turn his life around and not let the shooting define him. "He needs the forgiveness of our Father in heaven. That's what he needs greater than my forgiveness and so that's what I was telling him in court today is that he now has he has the opportunity to turn his life around. He doesn't have to be the same Quinton that he was when this happened," Houle said.Blocker pled guilty to habitual felon status, one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of assault with a deadly weapon and intent to kill, one count of assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer, and one count of possession of felon with a firearm.Blocker now faces up to 513 months in prison altogether, or about 43 years.District Attorney, Sean Houle talks about judge's decision Sean Houle speaks out following judge's decisionPrevious Coverage
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — It was an emotional moment in court Monday as a former police officer looked at the man who shot him and forgave him.
"I’ve forgiven you. I don’t hate you and I never will," retired Kernersville Police Officer Sean Houle said to Quinton Blocker.
Houle's life changed in an instant on the night of Feb. 21, 2021, when he was shot. Houle approached Blocker, who was sitting in a vehicle. Early in the day, Houle initiated a traffic stop that Blocker ran away from. A struggle ensued and during it, Blocker grabbed his gun and shot him.
Blocker ran away from the scene with the gun while Houle said on his radio, "I'm dying."
It was a multi-agency effort to detain Blocker, and when authorities did, Blocker said, "I'm sorry, I have his gun."
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"I had a stroke and a number of physical and mental injuries I have to live with," Houle said.
The former officer was shot in his face, hand and arm.
“When I think about what happened that night, I don't think about, ‘woe is me, I got shot.’ I think about 'alright, I got shot,' but then look at what all happened after that. Look at what God did for me that night, and so forgiveness is key," Houle said.
In court Monday, Houle said to the judge, "I don't hate Mr. Blocker but I do ask you sentence him to the maximum." Houle then turned to Blocker and said, "I’ve forgiven you. I don’t hate you and I never will."
Houle said Blocker did tell him sorry behind the courtroom when they were leaving.
Houle also told Blocker that he can turn his life around and not let the shooting define him.
"He needs the forgiveness of our Father in heaven. That's what he needs greater than my forgiveness and so that's what I was telling him in court today is that he now has he has the opportunity to turn his life around. He doesn't have to be the same Quinton that he was when this happened," Houle said.
Blocker pled guilty to habitual felon status, one count of attempted first-degree murder, one count of assault with a deadly weapon and intent to kill, one count of assault with a firearm on a law enforcement officer, and one count of possession of felon with a firearm.
Blocker now faces up to 513 months in prison altogether, or about 43 years.
District Attorney, Sean Houle talks about judge's decision
Sean Houle speaks out following judge's decision
Previous Coverage
