Asheville Mourns Shooting Victims At Memorial Service (Asheville, NC)
The Asheville community is remembering the lives of a mother and two children gunned down last week. Close to one-thousand people were reported to be at a vigil on Saturday night honoring Erica Smith, 13-year-old Harmony Smith and 15-year-old Keithan Whitmire. Family and friends spoke at the New Mount Olive Church to show respect and unite the close-knit community affected by the shooting. The three were found dead in a Hansel Avenue home, while the shooter took his own life in a car just down the street.
Brush Fire Burns 50 Acres In Buncombe (Woodfin, NC)
A controlled burn may be the cause of a fire that spread to 50 acres in Woodfin over the weekend. Emergency Services Director Jerry Vehaun says Asheville-Buncombe Tech completed a training exercise Saturday that included a burn and that a resident near Baird Cove Road was also burning on his property. Around 20 departments worked to completely extinguish the fire shortly after noon yesterday. No buildings were damaged.
Shooting Victim Dies, One Other Injured (Asheville, NC)
The Asheville Police Department says one man is dead from a Saturday night shooting. Officers found two people shot around 9 p.m. at the Lee Walker Heights public housing complex. Twenty-one-year-old Devon Harvin died at Mission Hospital, where the second victim was listed in stable condition. Details of what led to the shooting have not been released.
Governor Visiting WNC Today (Asheville, NC)
Governor Roy Cooper and members of his administration are expected to address a variety of issues in places across Western North Carolina over the next couple of days. Today's visit is highlighted by a 1 p.m. round table discussion at UNC-Asheville's Kimmel Arena. The day begins at TC Roberson High School in Asheville, where Cooper will specifically discuss his school safety budget proposal. He will visit Waynesville for an opioid discussion at Haywood Pathways Center after leaving UNC-Asheville.
Motorcyclist Dies After Driving Off Highway 74 (Shelby, NC)
A Hendersonville man who drove his motorcycle off Highway 74 outside of Shelby is dead. Alonzo Manley and his son reportedly had dinner together in Shelby on Saturday following a day-long ride on their motorcycles. The 69-year-old had only left his son a short time before when he veered off the highway and hit a mound of dirt left by the DOT. State Trooper Brian Theis says "we really have no idea why he veered off the road."
Hiker Rescued From Catawba Falls (Old Fort, NC)
A hiker injured from a fall on a steep trail at Catawba Falls is safe. Rescue crews from seven agencies worked for around two hours Sunday afternoon to get to the hiker, who fell about a mile-and-a-half from the trail-head in McDowell County. The person was taken to Mission Hospital Trauma Center with non-life threatening injuries.
Union County Hotel Shooting Leaves One Dead (Union County, NC)
The Monroe Police Department and the GBI are investigating a shooting that left one dead and others wounded in Union County. Officers found Vashawn Colston dead from gunshot wounds early yesterday at the Relax Inn on Highway 74. Three others were sent to the hospital for injuries, with one said to be in critical condition. Christian Cole reportedly suffered gunshots to his neck and back. Monroe Police say that Cole and Colston were the shooters, but are still putting pieces together on why the shooting happened.
Councilwoman Apologizes Over Nine-Eleven Comments (Charlotte, NC)
A Charlotte councilwoman says she is sorry for hurt that may have been caused by her recent social media comments concerning Nine-Eleven. LaWana Mayfield went on Facebook to say she was still "waiting for someone to produce pieces of the planes" from the September 11th attacks. The councilwoman added that she has no plans to resign, despite an online petition signed by more than 13-hundred people asking her to do so.