ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — 911 call transcripts obtained by other news organizations and reviewed by 828newsNOW provide a chaotic, firsthand account of the moments after nine people were shot on Biltmore Avenue, including frantic calls for police and medical help and witness estimates of dozens of gunshots.
But nearly three weeks after the July 19 shooting, Asheville police have not publicly identified any suspects or explained what investigators believe led to the violence.
Two people were killed and seven others were injured in the shooting outside Dalton’s Distillery and the neighboring Smile Starters parking lot. Asheville police have said they believe the shooting is connected to other violence in the area.
The 911 calls provide a glimpse into the scale and confusion of the emergency that unfolded shortly after 2:20 a.m.
One caller told a Buncombe County 911 dispatcher multiple people were down outside Dalton’s Distillery and repeatedly urged them to send help.
“Come to Dalton’s,” the caller said, according to the transcript. “I got four down.”
The caller said the shooter had left but pleaded with others at the scene to keep fighting and stay alive. The dispatcher said three ambulances were on the way.
Another caller, who said they were in a home overlooking Dalton’s, reported hearing what sounded like at least 30 shots.
“It was just awful,” the caller told 911, describing people screaming, yelling and crying. The caller said the scene did not appear to be secure and that there could be people injured or dead.
Another caller reported three people down in front of Dalton’s and said people were screaming for help.
“Please get here,” the caller said. “There are people screaming.”
Witness reports possible exchange of gunfire
One of the more detailed calls came from someone who said they were stopped at the intersection of Biltmore Avenue and Short Coxe Avenue when the shooting happened.
The caller said they saw a man step into the road and fire what they described as a fully automatic weapon. The caller estimated the shooter was a man about 5 feet, 8 inches tall and roughly 150 pounds, wearing a sweatshirt.
The caller also reported what sounded like return fire but said they did not know whether the first shooter was firing at people outside the bar or at a vehicle traveling down Short Coxe Avenue.
APD did not independently confirm the caller’s description of the weapon in information provided to 828newsNOW.
The same caller said people outside a nearby business were trying to get out of the area as the gunfire erupted.
“We’re kind of parked up here to the side, hiding,” the caller told the dispatcher.
The calls also show that the sound of the gunfire traveled into surrounding neighborhoods.
A Buchanan Avenue resident told 911 they heard the shooting and then saw a car speeding up the street toward a house. Other vehicles followed, the caller said, while acknowledging they did not know whether the people in the vehicles were involved in the shooting or simply trying to get home after it happened.
At Mission Hospital, an emergency-room charge nurse called 911 to report that three people with gunshot wounds had arrived at the hospital.
“Nobody’s talking about where it happened,” the nurse said.
APD says investigation has made “major advancements”
The calls provide a picture of what happened in the immediate aftermath. They do not, however, answer larger questions about the circumstances surrounding the shooting.
828newsNOW asked Asheville city officials this week what they know about the groups, individuals or conflicts investigators believe are connected to the shooting; whether the people shot were believed to be intended targets or bystanders; and whether officials believe the violence is tied to a turf dispute, drug activity or another ongoing conflict.
The city’s statement did not directly address those questions.
A city spokesperson said the Asheville Police Department has been “diligently investigating this incident along with other acts of violence in our community.”
“Public safety for everyone who lives, works, and visits Asheville is the top priority for all of our City of Asheville leadership, staff, and elected officials,” the city said.
The city pointed to continued investment in APD, as well as community partners, prevention strategies and data-driven approaches intended to reduce violence before it affects residents.
The city also encouraged anyone with information about the shooting to contact APD.
APD said investigators and law-enforcement partners have continued working on the case since the shooting.
“Our investigators and all of our LEO partners continue to work around the clock since the shooting to develop leads in this case,” APD Public Relations Manager Samantha Booth said.
APD previously said investigators believe they located and seized the vehicle used in the shooting.
“The investigation remains active, and additional information will be released when doing so will not compromise its integrity,” Booth said.
Police have not publicly identified any suspects in connection with the Biltmore Avenue shooting.
The lack of publicly released information has prompted questions about the circumstances surrounding the shooting, the people believed to be involved and whether there is an ongoing threat in the area.
828newsNOW also asked the city about concerns raised by residents in and around Maple Crest, including whether officials consider the area a particular public-safety concern and whether patrols or other police activity have increased since the July 19 shooting.
The city’s response did not provide specific details about those questions.
For now, APD says the investigation remains active and that releasing additional information could compromise the case.
The department is asking anyone with information to call 828-252-1110 or submit an anonymous tip through TIP2APD.
Editor’s note: 828newsNOW has requested the 911 records related to the July 19 shooting but had not received them as of publication. The information above is based on transcripts obtained by other news organizations and reviewed by 828newsNOW.