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Asheville police shoot knife-wielding man at Westmont Commons apartment complex

Asheville police shoot knife-wielding man at Westmont Commons apartment complex

Photo: Saga Communications/828newsNOW


ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — A man armed with a knife was critically injured Sunday evening after Asheville police officers shot him at an apartment complex in west Asheville, authorities said.

Officers responded to the Westmont Commons apartment complex on Chamberlain Drive at about 6:17 p.m. after receiving multiple reports of a man wielding a knife, according to the Asheville Police Department.

When officers arrived, they found the man on a third-floor balcony, where he reportedly threw a chair and other items to the ground below.

Police said the man then descended the stairs while still carrying a knife. Officers repeatedly ordered him to drop the weapon, but he continued toward them.

According to police, once he reached the bottom of the stairwell, the man ran toward officers while brandishing the knife. Officers then fired their weapons, striking him.

Officers provided medical aid until emergency personnel arrived. The man was transported to Mission Hospital, where he was listed in critical but stable condition Sunday night.

No officers were injured during the incident.

The Asheville Police Department said the shooting will be investigated by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, as required under department protocol for officer-involved shootings.

The man’s identity and the number of officers involved were not immediately released.

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