SNYDER, Texas — Darrell Campbell, the Snyder police officer who was shot in the head last week while responding to a call, was a "rock junkie," according to friend Jamie Crowley. "Darrell and (his wife), Amber, would go to every concert they possibly could; they loved rock music," Crowley said, "which is why I thought a benefit concert would be a good thing to raise some money for them."
Crowley said he visited Campbell in Lubbock on Sunday, and while he was still listed in critical condition, he continued to show signs of improvement.
"We were told the swelling in his head was down significantly, and even though he is sleeping a lot, he did try to open his eyes a few times I was there," he said.
"Once I heard what had happened to him, I was shocked," Crowley said. "Then, I had a small idea to help raise some money for the family. I was thinking maybe a half day thing at a local park."
But the event has grown from that original small idea: Crowley said when he first posted the event on Facebook, he had more than 200 people sign up to attend in the first 24 hours. Nearly 400 had signed up as of Monday evening.
He soon realized "Campbell Fest 2011," as the event has been dubbed, would need a venue large enough to hold a sizable crowd.
"We found an open weekend in August, and now we're going to have it at the Snyder Coliseum. About 4,000 people can fit in there, and I hope we fill it up," he said. The concert is scheduled for Aug. 19-21. The event is still in the planning stages, but Crowley said some bands and vendors, from as far away as Austin, already have indicated they'd like to be a part. Crowley is working with KSNY, a local radio station, to recruit bands, sell tickets and promote the event.
"I don't know how much we'll be able to raise, but we hope to raise a lot to help them cover whatever expenses they have," he said.