▁authorities ▁on ▁January ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁after ▁local ▁police ▁not ified ▁them ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁purchased ▁a ▁. 3 5 7 ▁mag num ▁from ▁South ▁B end . ▁Since ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁conv icted ▁fel on , ▁he ▁was ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁carry ▁fire ar ms , ▁and ▁given ▁another ▁one - to - five ▁year ▁imprison ment ▁term , ▁this ▁time ▁to ▁be ▁served ▁in ▁a ▁federal ▁pen it enti ary ▁at ▁Sand stone , ▁Minnesota . ▁He ▁was ▁released ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 6 ▁of ▁that ▁same ▁year . ▁ ▁Tri ple ▁murder ▁A ▁day ▁before ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁E ve ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁Bl adel ▁book ed ▁into ▁a ▁local ▁hotel ▁in ▁Jackson , ▁Michigan . ▁With ▁him , ▁in ▁a ▁suit case , ▁he ▁carried ▁parts ▁of ▁a ▁ 1 2 - g au ge ▁shot gun , ▁purchased ▁from ▁an ▁El kh art ▁gun ▁shop ▁around ▁two ▁years ▁ago . ▁The ▁following ▁day , ▁he ▁left ▁the ▁hotel ▁and ▁went ▁down ▁to ▁the ▁dep ot , ▁carrying ▁the ▁suit case ▁with ▁him . ▁When ▁he ▁arrived ▁on ▁the ▁platform , ▁he ▁put ▁the ▁suit case ▁down , ▁assemble d ▁the ▁shot gun ▁and ▁walked ▁towards ▁the ▁lo cker ▁room ▁door . ▁ ▁He ▁shot ▁ 5 0 - year - old ▁flag man ▁Robert ▁Lee ▁Bla ke , ▁from ▁South gate , ▁on ▁the ▁spot , ▁before ▁proceed ing ▁to ▁also ▁shoot ▁ 5 0 - year