Police responded to the 250 block of Biltmore Avenue at about 2:20 a.m. after reports of shots fired and multiple people struck, according to the Asheville Police Department. Asheville sits in the Blue Ridge Mountains and is a popular North Carolina tourist destination. The shooting happened in the city’s busy downtown entertainment district.
Officers found several victims with gunshot wounds, but despite life-saving efforts by authorities, two people died at the scene.
Seven other victims were taken to Mission Hospital for treatment. As of Monday, police said two patients remain critical, four are stable, and one was treated and released.
Investigators said evidence collected at the scene indicates the shooting may be related to a previous incident of gun violence. Police have not released details about that earlier case or how the two incidents may be connected.
"As we've seen in other areas of the city when bars and restaurants close around that time, people tend to go to their car and hang out for a minute before they depart to go home for the evening, I think that's what was happening here," Stepp said.
Detectives and forensic technicians processed what police described as a large crime scene, collecting numerous shell casings and other evidence. Biltmore Avenue near Short Coxe Avenue and part of Short Coxe Avenue were closed during the investigation but reopened later Sunday.
No arrests had been announced as of Sunday afternoon, and investigators have not identified a suspect, as the investigation remains active.
Previous Shooting in Area
The shooting comes days after another shooting outside Shakey's, a downtown bar, where police said officers fatally shot an armed man after responding to reports of gunfire outside the business."Upon arrival, officers heard gunfire and located the suspect in the parking lot of the business, actively discharging a firearm. Officers returned fire, striking the suspect," police said. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is investigating that case.
The mayor acknowledged it may leave residents feeling less safe. She said the city is expanding police staffing, strengthening community partnerships, and supporting violence prevention efforts while calling for tighter gun restrictions.
"I think that's natural, that your reaction is going to be that this feels unsafe to me," Manheimer said in a televised interview with local media on July 20.
Police asked anyone with information to contact the Asheville Police Department at 828-252-1110 or submit an anonymous tip through the TIP2APD smartphone application or by texting TIP2APD to 847411.