Each year, aggravated assaults made up the majority of Ashevilles violent crimes, accounting for about two-thirds to nearly three-quarters. According to the police, four people broke into a business in the 100 block of South Tunnel Road early Thursday morning. Miller said he has not encountered an anti-law enforcement sentiment. However, our ads are for local businesses and are unobstrusive. Crime statistics dont provide the full picture of crime in a city. Asheville once touted as a top-10 tourist destination back in 2017, but with crime raging, the city now ranks, get this, in the top 10% of most violent cities in America,anchor Todd Piro said. Email skestin@avlwatchdog.org. Ashevilles 5-year violent crime rate cited by Fox News, a 31 percent increase from 2016 to 2020, becomes a 15 percent increase from 2017 to 2021. Since the beginning of this year, violent crime is increasing, Davis said. NWS conducts damage survey on severe storms, Portions of Calif. home hang over cliff after landslide, Family of cold-case victim gets justice after 40, Car buyers frustrated after dealership closes, Murdaugh judges own legal story unfolded in South, Man arrested after 2 found dead inside business, Deputies release footage of shooting involving teen, New Jersey trooper shooting suspect caught in South, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Wait. The Community Crime Map is available on the Asheville Police Departments website by clicking on the crime mapping icon or atcommunitycrimemap.com. It looks like you're using ad blocking technology. Theres no doubt that the social justice protests of 2020 and Covid have certainly strained all the police departments, Herrmann said. Proven time after time. The one positive trend in the report is a reduction in gun crime. ", ENTIRE NORTH CAROLINA POLICE DEPARTMENT RESIGNS AFTER NEW TOWN MANAGER IS HIRED, The Biltmore Estate, built in 1895, is the largest privately owned house in the U.S. and the biggest tourist attraction in Asheville, North Carolina. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Ashevilles 5-year violent crime rate cited by Fox News, a 31% increase from 2016 to 2020, becomes a 15% increase from 2017 to 2021. Manheimer said Ashevilles police department is understaffed, and were working hard to build back the ranks to be able to keep our community safe and respond to calls for service when the call is made.. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. Media outlets around the country are asking their readers to chip in. But the violence, the mayor said, is fairly isolated in our community. Duncans successor, Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller, toldAsheville Watchdog, Weve seen some violent crime numbers go up, but like Asheville Police, the Sheriffs Office saw a decline in violent crimes in 2021. WebA man was injured during a shooting early Saturday morning at an apartment in Asheville. WHY do they have NO ability to run a safe city ? Patrol officers were walking around the area when they saw Mandy Blair Dixon, 36, Jamie Jean Furr, 39, and Franklin Hairr, 37, with some of the businesss property. The Asheville Police Department (APD) says officers Former Buncombe County Sheriff Van Duncan, who left the Democrat Party, joined 'Fox & Friends First' to discuss how crime spiraled out of control in Asheville as the city grapples with police shortages. See here for our terms of service. From Asheville Watchdog: Fox News reports Asheville is crime-ridden, dangerous, Q&A: Regions top principal discusses her lifes devotion to education, Workers tell city leaders about fear and frustration over downtown crime, violence, From Asheville Watchdog: Merchants describe downtown Ashevilles descent into squalor and lawlessness, Fellowship to expand number of lawyers versed in evictions, housing issues, Safety, transit concerns raised at first Asheville budget meeting, Development roundup: Urgent care clinic, workforce housing proposed forCharlotte Highway. Crime perceptions are also shaped by more homeless people in and around downtown. "So when officers have to work under those conditions, when they're out there really serving the community well, and we see high dismissal rate with the district attorney, low cash bail or no bail for these folks who are just being turned back loose into the community, it becomes very frustrating for the officers," he continued. Asheville saw a21% increasein the homeless, or unhoused population, in 2022 over 2021, leading to the belief by some residents and visitors that downtown has become dangerous. And the most recent one Violent crime murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault went downin Asheville in 2021. Since the beginning of this year, violent crime is increasing, Davis said. For the past 25 years, Xpress has been committed to in-depth, balanced reporting about the greater Asheville area. Among many other features, SimpliCity provides crime statistics for the address. Since the beginning of 2022, Asheville has seen an uptick in aggravated assaults, defined as attacking someone with the intent of causing severe injury. Joey Reece, who is now retired after serving 12 years as a state trooper and another 22 years as an agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in the area, reflected sadly to Fox News Digital how Asheville has declined since he grew up there. Elected democrats DESTROY cities. The officer also cited an overall lack of leadership and the "liberal agenda" of some county commissioners and members of city council. And why did the tourists who overdosed on felonious drugs at the Grove Park last February not get charged? Is our community unsafe as the picture is painted by Fox News? We want everyone to have access to our stories. Nearly three-quarters were 29 or younger, and all but three were males. "You're going to have to literally go back to some old 1990s-style law enforcement, and people have to be put in jail who commit crimes," he said. Youre not safe in your own home. Zack said the APD has lost more than 100 sworn officers since May 2020, which he noted is roughly equivalent to 600 years of experience walking out the door. Heres what the stats do say about crime in Asheville and whos at risk: Herrmann reviewed Ashevilles crime statistics forAsheville Watchdog. Look at how the Buncombe commissioners talk about the main driver of crime; being Illegally Manufactured Fentanyl. TUCKER CARLSON: WE'RE LOOKING AT A WAR ON THE POPULATION. "It's devastating what they've done here in town and the Asheville area," Nesbitt said of Antifa, whose activity he has followed closely ever since he was nearly killed during protests downtown following the verdict in the Breonna Taylor case in 2020. Officers also seized more than $10,000 in cash, a brick press, a vacuum sealer and a blender. Advertising no longer pays the whole cost. There certainly are people that are at higher risk, Manheimer said. The bookstore did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment. Of the reported robberies in 2020, 26% of the victims were strangers. Cold Cases Missing Persons Daily Archive. We interviewed our tech expert, Jaime Vazquez, to learn more about accessible smart home devices. What Ive learned over the years is you can apparently slice and dice crime data however youd like, Manheimer said. Women accounted for nearly half of all violent crime victims in Asheville (46%), while men committed 80% of the crimes, according to data reported to the FBI for 2020, the latest year available. It is a continuation of this theme of, You should worry. Chief Zack, through Davis, answered one question: There are loosely-organized, neighborhood-specific groups that could fall under a broad definition of gangs here in Asheville. But within those groups, the chief said it was doubtful that police could build a case to prosecute members under the federal racketeering law designed to combat organized crime. Asheville Watchdog is a nonprofit news team producing stories that matter to Asheville and Buncombe County. Asheville's growth in violent crime is nearly double that of the national average and ranks among the highest in North Carolina, where violent crime has Overall Score 6.4 /10. Cold Cases Missing Persons Daily Archive. But the sheriff said, We didnt see an increase as far as crimes being committed., An online version of the Fox News report said, without citing any details, that there was evidence in Asheville of increased Mexican drug cartel activity in the area, according to multiple law enforcement sources who spoke to Fox News Digital.. How did they bully you? Its primarily attributable to the rise in aggravated assaults.. Duncan, who retired as sheriff in 2018, ran the department for 12 years, replacing Bobby Lee Medford. But the question then is really whats the new normal going to be?. Sixty percent of voters overall consider crime a major issue in the lead-up to the midterm elections 52% of Democrats and 69% of Republicans, according to an August poll from Pew Research. More people today are armed with weapons and guns, said Miller, an Asheville native. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. "Even though we were making good strides in the community and reducing the crime rate, we still saw ourselves coming in as a negative in the community in the eyes of some of the leftist politicians that were getting elected at that time," Duncan said. He was quoted as saying, There certainly have been questions about support [for police] from elected officials, from the president of the United States right on down, so its not just local leaders.. When you tell me that your assaults are up, Im going to say you dont really know that because almost half of your assaults are probably not reported.. Asheville once touted as a top Nearly 60% of Ashevilles aggravated assault victims in 2020 were relatives or acquaintances of their attacker. Have any assaults been random, aimed at residents or tourists? 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The 31% increase is not current. Yep, sort of comical to watch the advertising/groveling for more and more guests continue while the city struggles to get its act in order. Fox News last week told a national audience that Asheville has seen a 31 percent increase in violent crime in the last five years. And the most recent one-year look, from 2020 to 2021, shows a 6% decrease. Your chance of being a victim of crime in Asheville may be as high as 1 in 18 in the central neighborhoods, or as low as 1 in 51 in the northeast part of the city. Asheville was rated among the top 10 U.S. travel destinations according to Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards in 2016, and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority recently spent $1.3million in local tax dollars to advertise at the 2022 U.S. Open. I love Asheville and everything it offers but am sad to see the decline. The officer predicted the situation in the Asheville area is headed "downhill quickly" without a change in leadership. "Personally, I think that is the agenda of the left: for law enforcement not to be able to do anything that's effective and makes the community safer," he added. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. The way Mayor Manheimer talks about Asheville safety world in the above AW story is not that in touch with where many are actually living. But I would have to think they would be more of the kind of smaller, petty types of things, not violent crime..