ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville police have brought charges against suspects accused of targeting pedestrians around the city with water pellet guns.
A news release from the Asheville Police Department (APD) on Friday said two people had been identified and charged in the case.
APD said 32-year-old Darius Ramont Brown and 31-year-old David Wayne Faubus had been charged with assault on a female, simple assault and misdemeanor cruelty to animals.
Officers were able to bring forth charges thanks to “strategic technological investments and innovative use of License Plate Readers (LPR) and surveillance video analysis,” the department’s release said.
A previous release from APD said devices which resembled Orbeez-style water pellet guns were used to target pedestrians “across various locations within the city, mainly in the downtown area and surrounding neighborhoods.”
“We commend the efforts of our detectives and the effectiveness of our technological resources in swiftly identifying the suspects,” Asheville Police Chief Mike Lamb said in Friday’s release. ”We urge any additional victims or witnesses who have not yet come forward to contact us immediately.”
The Asheville Police Department continues to encourage anyone who was targeted or has information regarding these incidents to contact APD by texting TIP2APD to 847411 or using the TIP2APD smartphone application. You can also call APD at (828) 252-1110.