Shepeard Community Blood Center hosting blood drive for RCSO Deputy Kenneth Mercer

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – The Shepeard Community Blood Center is hosting a blood drive to benefit a local deputy who was shot in the line of duty.

The Shepeard Community Blood Center will be hosting a blood drive for people to donate blood on Friday, July 21st at the Augusta Municipal Building, 535 Telfair Street, in the Linda Beazley Room from 10 A.M. to 5 P.M.

On July 8th, Deputy Kenneth Mercer was shot after responding to the 1200 block of Ellis Street in reference to a homeless man pointing a gun at passersby.

Officials with the blood center say that minutes following the shooting, Shepeard was alerted that Deputy Mercer may require a massive blood transfusion, and blood from dozens of Shepeard blood donors was immediately readied for use.

Shepeard, along with the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and Deputy Mercer’s family, is asking for the public’s support by donating blood, and a financial donation on behalf of each blood donor will be made to Deputy Mercer’s recovery efforts.