NC: ASHEVILLE LEADERS FOCUS ON VIOLENCE PREVENTION
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ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Nearly a week after a deadly shooting in downtown Asheville, city leaders are shifting the conversation beyond the investigation and toward community safety, prevention efforts and support for those impacted.
At a community briefing Friday, officials discussed the ongoing investigation, resources for families and the work they say is needed to prevent future violence.
Police say they are still working to identify the people responsible for Sunday night’s shooting, but community leaders say addressing violence requires more than arrests.
Michael Hall, chaplain with Be More Alive Ministries, said one question remains: what resources are available for young people when they are not in school?
“But where do our young people go when school is closed? What do they have to do?” he said.
Hall said community violence can be connected to deeper issues.
“When you have a number of young people and sometimes old that have picked up suppression, picked up anger, picked up frustration through living in an impoverished neighborhood, broken families, and they’re not giving the tools to learn how to manage, okay, ‘I’m angry and what do I do with this?’ What do they do?” he said.
City leaders pointed to Asheville’s violence prevention plan as a key part of the response moving forward. Mayor Esther Manheimer said continued collaboration with community partners will be important.
“The county has worked to put in place a strategic plan around addressing community violence, and I think the work around that with all of our community partners is what needs to continue,” she said.
At the same time, Asheville Police Department officials said they are seeing increasingly dangerous firearms in the community, including illegally modified weapons that can require federal prosecution.
Interim Chief Jackie Stepp said APD’s partnerships with federal agencies have been important in addressing those cases.
“We are fortunate that we have very good relationships with our federal partners in terms of prosecution. Those guns are highly illegal, but that, unfortunately, is what we are seeing in our community,” she said.
While the investigation continues, APD is also preparing for another busy weekend in downtown Asheville.
“We are in regular communication with our community leaders to identify areas where we believe large gatherings may take place, in putting safety measures in place to ensure the safety of our community and everyone involved,” Stepp said.
For those working directly with families affected by violence, Hall said the impact of the shooting goes beyond the investigation.
“It’s hurtful, apart from knowing two of the young men, another two human beings are no longer here with us,” Hall said.
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