A shocking incident in Tennessee has led to serious criminal charges against a man accused of targeting a local school board member by cutting power to his home, luring him outside, and opening fire.
Authorities say the suspect also entered the victim’s house, threatened his wife, and stole her phone before fleeing the scene. The case has attracted public attention because the intended victim was already facing separate criminal allegations involving a minor.
Tennessee Man Accused of Plotting Attack on School Board Member
Benjamin Mills, 46, has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated burglary, theft, and kidnapping following an incident that took place in the early morning hours of March 8 in Grainger County, Tennessee.
According to investigators, the alleged target was 62-year-old Steve Blanken, a member of the Grainger County Board of Education. Authorities believe Mills intentionally cut power to Blanken’s home in an effort to lure him outside before carrying out the attack.
The incident unfolded at approximately 5:20 a.m. while Blanken and his wife were inside their residence.
Power Outage Raises Suspicion
Blanken and his wife reportedly noticed that the electricity in their home had suddenly gone out. When they looked around the area, they saw that neighboring homes still had power.
After contacting the local electric company, they were informed that there were no known outages in the area. The company suggested they inspect their breaker box to determine whether something inside the property had caused the problem.
When Blanken stepped outside, he immediately noticed unusual activity around his property. Two of his dogs, which were normally secured, were running freely in the yard.
Upon checking the breaker box, he discovered that all the breakers had been switched off. After restoring power and securing the dogs, he returned inside the house.
Power Cut Again Minutes Later
Only a few minutes after restoring electricity, the power reportedly went out once again. At the same time, Blanken noticed that his German shepherd had somehow become loose for a second time.
Believing something was wrong, he returned outside to investigate. After turning the power back on, he allegedly heard a man shouting from near his chicken coop.
According to court documents, the man then began approaching him before firing a gunshot in his direction.
Suspect Allegedly Opened Fire
Authorities say Blanken attempted to escape by running toward his truck parked in the driveway. However, the suspect allegedly fired two additional shots.
One of the rounds reportedly struck the truck’s windshield. Blanken then fled to a neighboring property where he called emergency services for help.
Investigators later stated that a small pellet was recovered from Blanken’s stomach, suggesting that at least one shot had made contact with him during the encounter.
Fortunately, his injuries were not reported as life-threatening.
Wife Says Armed Intruder Entered Home
While Blanken was outside, his wife was still inside the house. According to investigators, she heard popping noises shortly after her husband went outside.
She told deputies that a man entered the residence, pointed what appeared to be a firearm at her, and made threatening statements.
According to her account, the intruder allegedly told her that her husband was a pedophile and would “pay for it.”
The suspect then reportedly ordered her to lie face down on the floor. During the confrontation, her mobile phone rang, drawing the suspect’s attention. Authorities say he grabbed the phone and fled from the property.
The woman later escaped and ran to a neighbor’s home for safety.
Investigation Leads to Arrest
When deputies arrived, they found the home’s power disconnected and the back door open. Officers secured the property before speaking with both victims.
Initially, neither Blanken nor his wife could provide a detailed description of the suspect beyond saying he was tall.
However, investigators were later able to locate the stolen mobile phone. The discovery reportedly helped authorities identify and arrest Benjamin Mills.
He now faces multiple felony charges connected to the incident.
School Board Member Facing Separate Criminal Charges
The case has received additional attention because Blanken is currently facing separate criminal allegations unrelated to the shooting incident.
According to reports, he was arrested in February over allegations involving an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old girl.
Authorities have said Blanken faces statutory rape charges and has also been indicted on multiple counts related to the sexual exploitation of a minor.
Following his arrest, he was reportedly banned from school property. In March, members of the Grainger County school board held a special meeting to begin the process of removing him from his position.
It is important to note that these charges remain separate from the attack investigation involving Mills.
Court Proceedings Yet to Be Announced
As of now, authorities have not publicly announced when Mills is expected to appear in court.
The investigation remains active, and prosecutors are expected to move forward with the serious charges filed against him. If convicted, Mills could face significant prison time due to the nature of the allegations, including attempted murder and kidnapping.
