From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Following three separate shooting incidents during the first weekend of March, the Asheville Police Department launched a 30-day crime initiative, which resulted in 25 arrests and the seizure of 10 firearms by March 23, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on April  4.

“At the beginning of March, a shooting on North Lexington Avenue injured nine people,” News 13 note. “A shooting near the Pisgah View Apartments killed one person, and another shooting along Patton Avenue killed another person.”

The ADP’s launch of its 30-day crime initiative, called the Public Safety Action initiative, was first reported  by City Councilwoman Maggie Ullman in a news release in which she noted that it was prompted by the recent spike in crime.

Ullman’s release also stated that violent crime in Asheville remains at a five-year low, year-to-date, and that investigations into recent incidents remain ongoing.

News 13’s “Comment Bubble” appearing after its story included the following assertions:

• Hammer1 — “Initiative? Isn’t that your job? Isn’t that what all of you were hired to do in the first place? I support law enforcement 110% but doing your job isn’t called an initiative, it’s called earning your money.”

• RoaringKitty — “Why stop? Extend the 30 day initiative to 365…”

• Randito — “Great Job.. Now Lets see if you can Do Your Jobs EVERY Day of the Year...”

• WindRidge — “Did any of them happen to have 30 million in missing city funds?”

• Snydley — “A 30-day crime initiative??? Why isn’t this the regular, daily routine for the APD???

• TheOracle — “Less than one arrest a day — sad.”

• TheOracle — “So 150 officers on the roll, 30 days in a month, and they only manage a paltry 25 arrests.  That should happen about every day in a city the size of AVL.Pathetic numbers.”

• ZooLivinWNC — “0.2% arrests a day! Woop ... give em all a raise!”

• liberalcritic — “Five years ago that was under Harris and jo jo . Under Trump Overall violent crime dropped in 2025, with the fewest homicides since 2017 (6 in 2025 vs 13 in 2024). Go Trump.”

• livninctry — “HAHAHA.... like Trump has anything to do with crime in Asheville. He sure has made gas really expensive though!!! “

• TheOracle — “Gas is not so bad - was up to $5.10/gal ($5.60/gal in today’s money) under Biden. Ya’ll survived that — and endured very high crime rates. “