ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville police have provided several new details about the investigation into the deadly July 19 Biltmore Avenue shooting, but important questions remain unanswered — including who investigators believe were the intended targets, how many of those shot were bystanders and whether the violence is connected to gangs, drugs or an ongoing turf conflict.

828newsNOW has been asking Asheville police for answers to questions raised by members of the public as investigators continue to work the case.

What police have confirmed

In an update provided late Friday, Interim Police Chief Jackie Stepp said investigators have seized what police consider critical physical and digital evidence.

Police also said investigators believe they have located and seized the vehicle used in the shooting.

APD said several suspects and co-conspirators have been identified, although police have not announced charges against those individuals in connection with the Biltmore Avenue shooting.

Forensic investigators have also linked the Biltmore Avenue shooting to other incidents of gun violence in Western North Carolina, according to APD. Police have not identified the other incidents or provided additional details about those connections.

The investigation remains active, and police continue to ask anyone with information to contact APD at 828-252-1110 or submit an anonymous tip through TIP2APD.

What happened July 19

The shooting happened in the early morning hours of July 19 in the 250 block of Biltmore Avenue near Short Coxe Avenue.

Two people were killed and seven others were injured.

APD has described the shooting as a targeted, retaliatory attack connected to an ongoing conflict. Investigators have said the July 19 shooting was connected to the July 5 shooting at Maple Crest Apartments.

A 19-year-old man, Marqua Amryie Lamar Davis, was arrested in connection with the July 5 shooting.

Police have indicated that the two incidents were connected, but many details about the relationship between the people involved remain unclear.

Questions 828newsNOW is still asking

As part of our ongoing coverage, 828newsNOW has asked APD for clarification on several issues that readers have raised.

Among them:

Who were the intended targets?

Police have said the July 19 shooting was targeted and retaliatory. We have asked APD how many of the nine people shot are believed to have been intended targets and how many were bystanders caught in the gunfire.

That distinction is important to understanding what happened that morning and the potential risk to people who live, work or visit the area.

APD did not directly answer that question in its latest response and did not provide additional information.

Are gangs involved?

828newsNOW has also asked why police have not described the groups involved as gangs and whether investigators believe the violence involves organized gangs, rival groups or another type of ongoing conflict.

We have also asked whether investigators believe drugs or drug activity played a role in the violence, whether it involved a turf dispute or whether police believe another motive is behind the shootings.

So far, APD has not provided additional details about the nature of the groups or the underlying conflict.

How are the injured doing?

We have asked for an update on the conditions of the people who were injured in the shooting and whether any remain hospitalized.

We have also asked whether police plan to release additional names of victims or others involved in the investigation.

APD did not directly answer those questions in its latest response and did not provide additional information.

What about the surrounding area?

Residents have also raised concerns about safety around the areas connected to the shooting.

We have asked APD whether it considers Maple Crest and the surrounding area a problem area for crime and whether police have increased patrols there since the July 5 shooting.

We have also asked whether APD has increased patrols around Biltmore Avenue and Short Coxe Avenue following the July 19 shooting.

APD did not directly answer those questions in its latest response and did not provide additional information.

Questions about businesses and tourism

828newsNOW also asked APD whether Dalton Distillery has contacted police about incidents or complaints involving activity outside or near its building and, if so, how many calls or complaints the department has received and over what period.

We also asked whether city officials or APD have considered the potential effect of the shootings on tourism when determining how information about the violence is communicated to the public.

APD did not directly answer those questions in its latest response and did not provide additional information.

Why we’re asking

The goal of these questions is not to speculate about the investigation or assign blame. It is to provide readers with a clearer understanding of what happened, who may have been targeted and what the violence means for people who live, work and visit the area.

APD has provided important new information about evidence, the suspected vehicle, identified suspects and connections to other gun violence cases. At the same time, several fundamental questions remain unanswered.